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BEING THE 

EXTRAORDINARY LIFE AND ADVENTURES 

OF 

ISAAC HUBBELL 



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THE ^VAR OF THE REVOEUTIOJV, 

AND THE 

STORY OF HIS MARRIAGE WITH THE INDIAN PRINCESS, 












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NOW rmST FUBZ.ISEED, 

FROM THE LIPS OF THE HERO HIMSELF. 



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The herb at Boston, called the East-India Tea, 
Was scarcely tumbled in the Yankee sea, 
When the blood of Hubbell and of millions more 
Went up like angry waves where oceans roar, 
Aiid raged along its course, and burnt amain. 
Made hot by insults and a threatened chain. 
Away, away i the spreding cry was loud. 
To meet in fight the cruel and the proud. 












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BY JOSIAH PRIEST, 

Anlhoj: of several Works, Pamphlets, &c. 



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PRINTED BY J. MUNSELL, STATE STREET. 
1841. 



Price I84 cents. 



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'H'S''! 




LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF ISAAC HUBBELL, 

tlmong the JVorthern and Westerm Indinns, his Jfltirriagc tvith an 
•/Iboriyiiuil l^vlncess, S^'e. 



'Tis wonderful to read— 'tis also rij^ht, 
The siory of such men, in fearful tight; 

The war-worn liero of tlic following narra- 
tive, who was living at the time these pages 
were penned, was born at Weston, Fairfield 
Co. Conn , of respectable parents of the farmer 
class of society. At the time when Die people 
of Boston, on account of the tea tax, and other 
grievances imposed upon the Americans by the 
British Parliament, Hubbell was an apprentice 
at a trade in the town of Fairfield, state afore- 
said. 

But the bold act of the Bostonians, in throw- 
ing a ship load of tea into the ocean, perform- 
ed by a band of men, disguised as Indians, 
roused in a moment the slumbering tires of the 
bosoms of all true patriots, throughout the en- 
tire country, and produced the great resolve 
that America should be free. Among the 
thousands of young' men, and as many boys, 
Hubbell, though but an apprentice, counted 
one as a volunteer from Fairfield, under Capt. 
Dennon, of General Worcester's Brigade, who 
were to march immediately for Boston, in sup- 
port of what was called by the English and the 
tories, the rebellion. 

The brigade hastened to Hartford, which 
was the route to Boston, but instead of march- 
ing" to the east, they were sent south, where, 
after performing some service, were or- 
dered again to Hartford. At this city, Hub- 
bell enlisted as a regular soldier, with many 
others, and were ordered northward, crossing 
the countiy to Albany, a distance of a hundred 
miles, then sustaining far more of the wilder- 
ness character than at the present time. From 
Albany they pressed on as far as Ticonderoga, 
on Lake Champlain, which was another hundred 
miles, into a country still more wild, and fiom 
thence to St. Johns, on the west of the lake 
above named, not far from the place now 
known as Plattsburgh. 

At this place or near it they were united 
with General Montgomery, ol honorable mem- 
or}s when they immediately set about the cap- 
ture of this post, then occupied by the Britii-h. 
It was not an easy matter to take the place by 
storm, wherefore Montgomery resorted to stra- 
tagem, and this was to cut off all supplies, by 
constantly patrolling the forests, in all direc- 
tions, by night and day. During this opera- 
tion, there was much bloody adventure on both 
sides, between white men and Indians, as there 
were Indians as well with the British as with 
the Americans. 

At a certain time, there had been sent out a 
party of some thirty men to scour the woods 
northward, as from that direction supplies of 
food by the means of the Indians, were attempt- 
ed to be thrown into St. Johns, for the support 
of the troops within. 

They had pursued their route in a silent man- 
ner, up a small stream that falls into the Sara- 
nac, when at a certain point, as the sign which 
was before agreed on had been given to halt 
for the puipose of listening, there was heard 



How the brave licart and arm, could turn aside 
Ucneath the smile of God — ihu gory tide. 

the hoot of an owl, a considerable distance off, 
as it seemed. This, to the ear of a white man, 
was an occurrence of no moment, as the woods 
in the place were of the gloomiest and most 
sombre dcscrijjtion, an owl might hoot, there- 
lore, though it was not yet night. 

But to an Indian car, however, th'^re was in 
that hoot a something which did not exactly 
meet the ideas of the natives then with the par- 
ty, who were acute judges of the true sound.; 
of that bird's powers of music. In a few min- 
utes another hoot was heard, but in quite a dif- 
ferent direction and seemingly farther oil". 
" This is curious," remarked a white man, 
" so many owls before night." An Indian, 
standing close by Hubbell, looking at him, 
said, after giving a short, deep, guttural grunt, 
'^ ugh! no owl — no good, Indian yonder," 
pointing with his hand in the direction where 
the last hoot was heard. " Indian make sign, 
me look for him," v/hen he darted ofT, but not 
the way the sound last made Avas heard, the 
other Indians Ibllowing in the same trail, eight 
in number, several remaining with the white 
men. They had been gone but a quarter of an 
hour or so, when quite beyond, and farther ofl" 
than where the owl had hooted for the last time, 
there was heard rising on the air, the terrific 
yell of the Indian war ciy, several shots follov,- 
ing immediately. " Dovvfu, quick!" said the 
Indians, "he come this way ; 'meiican Indi- 
an got 'yond British Indian, he come this way." 
They had scarcely dropped down among the 
bushes, in the place, when the sound of a rush- 
ing was heard, coming swiftly towards the 
place where they were hid, evidently aiming to 
gain the summit of a hill, not far behind the 
white men, where it was likely they meant to 
make a stand. 

But this was a fatal course, for the moment 
they came in sight, there fell of their number 
some eight or ten Indians, and several white, 
men, as afterwards ascertained. This unex- 
pected ambush, which had sprung up, as it; 
were, out of the very earth, had the effect to 
bring the enemy to a momentary stand, at; 
which time they let fly as many bullets as 
there were guns in their possession, toward>J 
the place from whence they had received the 
fire; but as every man was behind a tree there 
was no harm done by the shot, except the flay- 
ing of the bark off the trees, and the whistle of 
the bullets. But before they could reload, the 
5'ell of the friendly Indians on their track, wa.s 
heard behind them, and at the same moment 
another shot, which brought down several more 
of the enemy, who now, though but few ii^ 
number, made another struggle to reach the 
hill, by filing off in another direction, not yet 
having seen the ambush which had proved so 
fatal to them. 

At this juncture the ten Indians came up in 
a great heat, when the whole party pursued on 
the trail, spreading out as they did so, accord,- 



ing lo the Indian mode of fighlinj^ in the woods.* 
But there were no shots of llie enemy heard in 
any direction; on which account it was con- 
cluded that tiiey had either scattered and were 
fleeing each ior his own safety, or that they 
were hid in ambush. The former appeared to 
be true, as alter havin;^ very cautiously pro- 
ceeded on toward the hill, but seeing nothing, 
losing even their trail, they were sure they 
had separated and fled. 

The party now formed r.\ Indian file, and as 
it was near dark struck otF in a lateral direc- 
tion from what the enemy appeared to have 
gone, for the purpose of camping down tor the 
flight. They found, after going a mile or so, 
a place suitable, where they came to a stand, 
feeld a council of war, arranged their order ibr 
I'he night, and then proceeded to build a small 
fire, so situated between and beside some rocks 
ihat the light could not be seen two rods in any 
direction. 

Here they, cooked their supper, but all in 
perfect silence; then camped down and slept 
till morning, all except ibur sentinels, who 
were relieved every two hours, by ibur others. 
When their breakfast was over, they repair- 
ed to the spot where the skirmish had taken 
place, to see what had been done. Here they 
found a dozen or so of Indians and whites, ly- 
ing dead on the ground, the exact number 
Hijbbell, as he was old, could not remember, 
but reckoned there was as many as a dozen at 
least. They stiipped them of their clothes, 
took their guns, hatchets, knives and all that 
was wo.iih saving, and left their bodies in the 
bru=h to feed the wolves. 

This party, it appeared, were on their way 
to St. Johns, who had discovered the Ameri- 
cans, and occasioned the hootings we have 
spoken of, as a signal given by their out- 
runners, to warn the main body of their dan- 
ger. But the friendly Indians getting in their 
rear, drove them as we have related . 

The company now set off for their camp, 
not having lost as yet a man, But as it hap- 
pened, Hubbell did not start exactly when the 
rest did; feeling a desire to moralize over the 
dreadful fate of several white men who lay 
there, never to be buried, and withal to see if 
there might not be among them some one that 
he had known as a toiy — but this he did not 
discover. A minute or so had been spent in 
this way, when, as he was moving off, there 
was something whistled by his head, slightly 
brushing his cheek, when lo, there quivered a 
lono- Indian arrow in a tree just before him. 
He'sprang behind the tree, and peaking care- 
fully out in the direction the arrow had come 
from, he soon discovered a large Indian high 
up amid the thick boughs of a bushy hemlock, 
with his rifle laying on the boughs, tied fast to 
a limb, to keep it from falling. (See plate.) 

His intention was to have killed the linger- 
ing white man, by an arrow shot, which made 
no report, and had aimed at the back of his 
fleck, as he was turning to go away. His rifle 
he <la're not use, as the report would instantly 
fcring i^e »vhole party upon him, or Hubbell 
wolud have slept his final sleep there with the 






rest. After the arrow had flown, and had 
missed the mark, the Indian's only safety lay 
in his remaining silent and still, hoping, no 
doubt, that the white man might take lo his 
heels, from fright, or might not be able to see 
him among the boughs of the tree. But so it 
did not turn out; for Hubbell continued lo 
peak about among the tops of llie trees until 
he found his enemy, when a shot was heard to 
ring loud and long on the still air, the poor 
Indian tumbling like a wounded panther from 
his airy graplings in the tree, dead, to the 
ground. The report of Hubbell's gun brought 
the whole company back to the fatal spot very 
quickly, where they found him busy in dis- 
robing the fallen Indian, and bundling up his 
rifle, (which be had to climb for,) and other 
warlike accoutrements, as his own proper 
efiects, taken in battle. 

The Indian, no doubt, had lost a relative in 
the affray, who lay there on the ground; and 
as he knew well enough the Americans would 
return to strip them, as soon as it was light, he 
had posted himself there in the tree, to act as 
he might think proper, and if possible, to be 
revenged on some of them for the death of his 
friend. 

Many were the affrays of this description, 
which happened to the scouting parties, while 
they were investing St. Johns, which was forty 
days, before they capitulated. In this place, 
the whole detachment suffered much, on ac- 
count of the badness of the place where they 
were obliged to locate the camp — it being on 
a low, swampy piece of ground — so that in a 
short time it became a complete quagmire, 
fiom the constant trampling of their feet. From 
this circumstance, it was ever after referred to 
as the muddy encampment. 

The number of men who were taken at this 
place, by their being starved out, was about 
seven hundred, who were sent lo Hartford, 
prisoners of war, while Montgomery took pos- 
session of the enemy's fort. This was a fortu- 
nate circumstance for the Americans, as the 
fort furnished them with comfortable lodgings, 
and a shelter from the heavy rains, as well as 
escape from the mud of their own encamp- 
ment, v/here they had to sleep often nearly 
buried alive in water, as they would find on 
awaking in the morning. 

After this, the taking of St. Johns, until the 
capture of Montreal, Hubbell was sent out 
with others, on various service, but always of 
the most dangerous character — and chiefly per- 
formed in the dreadful woods of the Black 
river country ; and is such even at the present 
time. This great and fearful wilderness, was 
a vast range of wild and unsettled country, 
equal in extent to a hundred miles square — the 
home of wolves, bears, panthers, elk, deer, 
and moose — a broken, mountainous, rocky re- 
gion, clothed with a profusion of the heaviest 
timber, consisting much of pine, hemlock, and 
spruce, tamarack, balsam, laurel, and bram- 
bles; full of streams of water, deep ravines, 
swamps, and small lakes. 

But on these veiy accounts, and also, be- | 
cause it lay adjacent to Canada, along the St. 



11 



12 



Lawrence, opposite Kin2:ston, in the Upper 
Province, west of LakeChamplain, ninning- 
along down quite to Montieal — it was ex- 
Iremely convenient for the British Indians, and 
the tribes unfriendly to the Americans, to hide 
in, and to flee to, when they had made any in- 
cursions on the back settlements oi New York, 
and along the Mohawk ri\'er, which bounded 
J hat wilderness on the south. 

In this great woods, many were the pri- 
soners who have been tortured to death by lire 
and mutilation, far away from the succor or 
.sympathies of friends, where they have scieam- 
cd out the last cry of pain, on the ears of un- 
pi tying men and the heedless winds. It was 
in this hideous country of almost boundless 
forest, that Hubbell and his soldier comrades 
were often sent, to watch for the Indians, to 
see if ihere could be found any signs of their 
bands having passed towards our settlements; 
and if so, then to intercept, and if possible, to 
destroy them. 

At a certain time, there was about fifty men 
left the fort, on a scout of this description, 
taking food with them suflicientto sustain them 
a week or so. After two days travel in a due 
M'est course, as silently as possible, they had 
penetrated the wilderness as far as to one of 
the head water streams of the Hudson, and 
lighting on a place, a level plot of ground, on 
a hill of considerable heighth, where Avas a 
thick growth of dead grass, as it was then in 
the month of October, offered them a beautiful 
location to encamp for the night, as it was 
now nearly sundown. 

The closing of this day, as Hubbell could 
still remember, was of the sweetest descrip- 
tion, the sun went down in his mfijesty, rolling- 
an ocean of the trery waves of light upon the 
upper heavens, then shooting from their bosom 
athwart the saddening disk of the vault above, 
as the twilight was coming on, the broad but 
vivid beams of his 3'ellow rays, flung deep and 
full through all the moimtains — changing as by 
the power of magic, the green foliage of tlie 
pine and the hemlock trees for a brief moment, 
to as many branches and leaves of molten gold, 
ihen faded gradually away to the hue of bur- 
nished copper, along the whole western ran<i-e 
of the lower horizon, ending soon in the daik- 
ness of night. 

At the finishing of this majestic phenome- 
non, the song of the woods began. There was 
beard the gruff whoop of the owl, the lone- 
some voice of the saioiohet, tlie curious poo of 
the nig-ht-hawk, soaring high in the air — the 
keen, lively, and yet saddening whistle of a 
thousand whippoorwills, fiUino" the woods with 
the cry of tlicir three syllabled song — whip- 
poor-?/)?//, whippoor-«n7/. There was the hum 
of countless bugs and flies, buzzing through 
the air, on errands of love and war; and the 
voices of many an unknown creature, whose 
little dwellings were amid the leaves, the dried 
ffrass, and the bark of the trees. There Avas 
the howl of many wolves, just awakenincc 
ii'om their day sleep, eager for the evening 
meal, to be taken from the sides of the fallen 
deer or elk, which were very numerous in these 



woods. When they had selected a spot, they 
(took their supper — set the watch, and retired 
to sleep — each on his arms, with their packs 
for their pillows, there on the soft grass of the 
mountain, with no covering but the sky and 
their blankets. 

They had laid thus but a little while, and 
scarcely began the dream of sleep, when the 
sentinels descried in a certain direction, not 
more than a mile or two from them, the fitful 
flashes of a wocd fire; but whether kindled by 
friends or foes, Indians or white men, they 
could not tell. But in order to asceitain this, 
the captain, whose name was Comstock, took 
the si)y-glass, as they had brought one with 
them, and clambered up the body of a thick 
limbed hemlock growing on the brow of the 
hill, high enough to get a fair view of the cha- 
racters of their neighbors. 

When he had rested the instrument across 
a limb of the tree, and got tlie right direction, 
he soon discovered that there was a small party 
of Indians, a dozen or so, who were then in 
the very act of burning a human being to 
death; but whether an Indian or a white man, 
he could not tell at so great a distance. 

The whole encampment had risen on the in- 
stant the discovery of tlie fire was first made, 
and were eagerly questioning their captain in 
the tree, what he could make out. As soon as 
they knew what was going on, they fancied 
they could hear very distinctly both the yells 
of Uic Indians, and the cries of the victim. 

This sight set their blood in motion, and 
many were the bitter execrations that passed 
their gritted teeth, in low mutlerings, as they 
were getting under marching orders for the 
rescue of the victim, and the destruction of 
the Indians. 

The location of the scene of torture, as it 
appeared from the top of the tree, was in a 
gorge of an opposite mountain, a place in- 
spiring dread to the prisoner, as well as afford- 
ing security to the tormentors. The men were 
soon under way, in single file, passing on as 
rapidly and as silently as they could, dreading 
even Hie breaking of a dry stick, lest they 
should be heard. The direction they had to 
go, led them across an uneven sort of glade, 
lather swampy in places, which made it diffi- 
cult; but by means of the noise the Indians 
made, thev had no trouble in keeping the di- 
rection, al'houcrh it was very dark. 

It was not long ere they came close to the 
scene of action. Here they made a halt, hold- 
ing a council of war in whispers, as they were 
on the point of having a struggle with a cruel 
enemy; and how many there might be, they 
knew not, as the few they saw about the fire 
was no evidence that there was not many more 
nearby. Here they concluded to divide their 
number equally, there being twentv-five men 
to each party, and to ascend bofli sides of the 
goro-e at the same lime, as the Indians were on 
a little flat between. 

It was agreed on, that not a gun should be 
fired until tlie signal, which was to be a sharp 
whistle tiie captain was to give, should be 
made, and responded to by the leader of 



O 



14 



ihc other parly — then eacli man was (o \c\. off 
directly into their midst, takiii;^- aim as well as 
they could. They now separated, passing' on 
up the respective rid<:^vs of the 2,u!f, creeping 
softly, slow, and in silence — all the winle the 
cries of the sviffcrer were rinii-ini;- in their cars, 
as well as the tauuiinji,- yells of the Indians. By 
this they knew that the victim was a while 
man, as an Indian would not cry out so — his 
education bein<;- of a sterner kind than to g-ive 
way to grief, when dyi.ig by inches. Tiie very 
flesh of the white men, and hair of their heads 
seemed in motion, at the tiiought of what was 
going on within a few rods of them. 

But they soon came to a stand, exactly op- 
posite, and above them, not more than six rods 
off, either way — so that they could see every 
Indian engag-ed in tlio tragedy. Here WuS a 
monstrous fire, near which there sat a number 
of Indians, carelessly smoking their pipes, 
while there hung to a large stake, the naked 
body of a man, whose hands were tied, as far 
above his head as his arms could reach, who 
was then in the last agonies of death, and had 
ceased to make any furtiier cries. 

It now appeared that there was another stake 
driven, and that preparations were making for 
another sacrifice, as there was laying a heap 
of dry brush and bark near by. This was soon 
made more evident, as three of the Indians 
went to a place, which was not in the light of 
their fire, but back in the shade. Here they 
stooped down and lifted to his feet the naked 
body of a man, but alive, and strongly pin- 
ioned, botli hands and feet. The fastening of 
liis feet they cut away, but left his hands as 
they were, and led him to the stake. There 
was no complaint, or sounds of v.'ords, which 
escaped his lips, but once, and these were, 
" Oh God .'" as they tied his feet to the stake, 
and unfastened his hands — carrying them above 
his head, where they were made fast. 

This done, the ofTiciating Indians fell back, 
when the others arose, who had been smoking; 
their pipes, spiinging to their feet, as quick as 
a flash, at the signal of one Indian, who sat 
apart from all the rest — a chief, no doubt — 
around whom they were formed in a circle — 
who gave to each Indian, as it appeared, a 
drink of liqiior from a wooden noggen, (a 
small one gallon keg.) This manoeuvre brought 
them very much in a body, and accordingly 
was the moment of attack, although the man 
at the stake was in imminent danger; but this 
was the time for action. 

The captain, as was expected, gave the sig- 
nal: the whistle was heard, and responded to 
from the opposite side, which rung along the 
o'ulf like the hiss of a serpent. In nn instant 
the head of every Indian was thrown in the 
attitude to listen; but the next instant they 
were all in eternity — for a full volley of fifty 
rifles poured each two smooth bullets into their 
midst. And, so far as having any identity on 
earth, thev were annihilated, as there was not 
one left alive — being generally completely rid- 
dled through and tlirough. 

The victors now rushed down the declivities 
from both sides, with the view of dispatching 



any who might yet be alive ; but all were dead, 
or in the last agonies of that great change. In 
a moment the victim was cut down, and tlie 
cords taken off, which, from lightness were 
buried in the flesh; but iie was entirely in a 
slate of helplessness, as he had swooned, from 
tiie pain occa.sioncd by the pressure of the 
cords, the want of food, and the terror of being 
burned alive. Bui as the cords were removed, 
and some water thrown on his face, the blood 
beginning to circulate, he came too, and was 
able to sit up — as there was given him a little 
rum and water, which very much and very 
ra]iidly invigorated him — carrying hito prac- 
tice what the Scriptures have said on a subject 
like this, and that is, that men should give 
strong drink to t!iem who are read}' to perish. 

They immediately gave him some bread 
.soaked in water, and a little soup made from 
steeping a })iccc of dried beef in a tin cup, 
which each ma:; carried to drink from — so that 
by morning, after a sound sleep, he was able 
to walk quite well, and went with the party to 
St. Johns. 

In writing the story, we enquired of the aged 
veteran, this man's name — but he had forgotten 
it — and yet he thought it was something like 
Ceonrod, Conover, Konkey, or something like 
that; but lie could not certainly tell. They 
now looked among the stuff of the Indians, 
and soon found not only the clothes of the res- 
cued victim, but also tliose of the one which 
was dead. They also found considerable 
clothing, both male and female, as well as 
cliildren's, which they had plundered along the 
Mohawk, as the rescued man informed them ; 
but worse than all, there were several scalps of 
human beings, the owners of which they had 
murdered — for which they expected to get 
eight dollars, a price rather higher than a good 
beaver skin would fetch when they got to 
Canada. 

The victors now gathered a quantity of dry 
brush and wood, stripped the dead Indians of 
their clothes, drew ihem together in a heap, 
and built a vast fire over them, where tliey 
were consumed to ashes before the sun rose the 
next morninii". They took down what remain- 
ed of tlie body of the man they had burnt, and 
bnricd him there close under the side of the 
hill, far enough from the little brook which ran 
along there, to prevent his being washed out in 
high water, in the time of hard rains. 

The party now returned to the fort, feeling 
that they had peiformed a good service, and 
liappy that none of their number were miss- 
ing. 

Hubbcll, together with all the troops at the 
place, were now ordered to proceed (o the cap- 
ture of Montreal, which in a short time was ef- 
fected . 

The next step was to invest Quebec. By 
this lime Montgomery had been killed, and 
was succeeded by Gen. Arnold, who at that 
time was not a traitor, as he afterwards unfor- 
tunately became. It was in the winter that the 
troops ^\'ent down the St. Lawrence from Mont- 
real, effected partly on the ice, am' partly by 
land. 



15 



16 



In Ibe attempt upon Quebec, Arnold was 
wounded in the foot or leg, and as Hubbell 
was near him at the time, he ran for the surgeon 
of the army to dress the wound, which soon 
got well. Here the troops remained till spring, 
when Burg-oyne came on with a mighty Ibrce, 
giving- the Americans then in Canada the choice 
of being captured, or of making good their es- 
cape; who made choice of the latter as being 
greatly the least evil. The Americans made 
good their escape, by hastening on up the ri- 
ver, then across the country to Lake Cham- 
plain, arriving at Ticonderoga safe and sound; 
and from thence almost inmiediateiy went to 
Fort George, on Lake George, in New York. 
At this place Hubbell remained during the 
summer and the coining winter, being in many 
skirmishes, in various scouting parlies, with 
the Indians, as well as with the outposts of the 
advancing army of Burgoyne. He was in a 
battle with a division of the British army at 
Fort Edward, in which he was in great danger 
of being killed, as there fell of his comrads in 
arms all around him, whose very brains be- 
spattered' Lis clothes; yet he was not hurt. 
But at this very time, when Burgoyne was ad- 
vancing, flush with the hope of opening his way 
from Canada to New- York, making Albany in 
his imagination a midway rendezvous, Hub- 
bell, with a company of volunteers, were sent 
with great speed to assi-t Gen. Herkimer, who 
had just been much cut to pieces near Fort Stan- 
wix, (now the village of Rome, in New York) 
by a strong British force. 

This was supposed to be a dangerous ser- 
vice, on which account it was left to the sol- 
diers to volunteer, or not to go at all, and Hub- 
bell was one of these. Away they went through 
the wilderness, and arrived at Fort Stanwix 
soon enough to rally and gather the scattered 
forces of Herkimer, and to overtake the victo- 
rious Biilish, who, fleeing before the recruited 
Americans, left all their baggage and plunder 
to the owners, while the Yankees drove them 
down to Lake Ontario, having taken all their 
cannon, with every munition of war, the Eng- 
lish escaping naked, and barely with their 
lives, without making the least resistance. It 
was an entire and complete flight. 

On achieving this feat of war, they Avere or- 
dered instantly back to the North River, to as- 
sist in checking the progress of Burgovne, wlio 
was still pressing his way towards Albany, as 
they were informed by their Indian runners. 
Hubbell with the rest had gone on theii- way as 
far as to the city of Schenectady, where the 
news vvas received that Burgoyne was taken. 

This was a joyful event. All was clamor 
and haste to go to Albany, to witness the spec- 
tacle of the fallen and disarmed foe, and to 
luxuriate in the common joy of so g-reat a vie- ' 
tory, in favor of American independence. 

It was an imposing, as well as an affecting 
sight, to see that migiity host, a whole British 
army, who nothing doubting a few days before, 
but they could march through the entire coun- 
try, compelling submission wherever thev set 
a foot; but now in deep humility, M'ithout 
arms, except a few of the officers, slowly 



jpnoving through the city, with folded arms and 
eyes cast to the ground, thus brought down by 
the God of battles, who nerved the arms and 
the hearts of the brave Americans in the fight 
of Saratoga, was indeed an affecting spectacle. 
There was no tongue which moved in derision 
of the vast host of discomfited red coals, which 
strongly marked the forbearance of the magna- 
nimous conquerors. But had Providence or- 
dained that Burgoyne should have triumphed, 
he would have rioted in the victory, bestowing 
every degrading and insulting epithet, such as 
rebels, villains, damned Yankees, and so on, 
upon the Americans, marching the captured 
soldiery to the tune of Yankee Doodle or the 
Rogue's March from Saratoga to New York, 
there to be impiisoned, and probably starved 
to death or poisoned in their drink, as was the 
fact with thousands who fell into their hands on 
Long Island. 

This spectacle over, Hubbell with the com- 
pany to which he belonged, with all the regu- 
lar troops of the north, were ordered south, 
passing down the Hudson by water, to unite 
with Washinsjton in (he struggle with the ene- 
my in New JTerey. Hubbell was in nearly 
every battle in that quarter of the country. But 
in the great and decisive fight of Monmouth, 
his duty became rather a singular as well as a 
dang-erous one. It was his fortune to bo placed 
as a bait to the enemy, by which, in the policy 
of Washington, they were lured on to the bat- 
tle, which otherwise they would have avoided. 
The armies were posted very near each oth- 
er—not above a mile or so — but on account of 
the form of the ground were not in each other's 
sight. Washington was eager for the battle, 
as he well knew that he should never have a 
stronger force, nor a better chance for victory. 
He therefore said on the eve of th-e conflict, as 
it has been rumored, that if that battle should 
be lost, all was lost. 

But as the British showed no signs of coming 
on, Washington selected Hubbell, as he knew 
him to be one of those fear-naught kind of 
men, having a share of ready wit, as well as 
great activity of limbs, and enquired of him if 
he was willing to tempt the British to fight. 
He said he was, if the General would show 
him how. Then, my dear fellow soldier, said' 
Waihingfon, jump into that wagon, with the 
two empty hogsheads, and drive rapidly to- 
wards the enemy, as if you are g-onig to desert 
to them; but as soon as you come in sight of 
their outposts on the road, turn as quick as 
possible, and flee. Fear not, Hubbell, said (he 
General, as already a battalion under Col. But- 
ler are posted in ambush behind the fences and 
brushwood of the fields, in such a place on both 
sides of the road, and have been there since 
som.e time before day light. 

Away went Hubbell on the adventure, which 
was one of imminent danoTer, as there could be 
but small doubt of his being kilted or taken 
prisoner; either of these events afibrding but 
little for the imagination to dwell happily upon. 
He had gone but a little way — a half a mile or 
so — beyond where the ambush lay, when he 
found himself within sight of a heavy detach- 



17 



18 



ment of horse, who, the moment they saw the 
wagoner, spurred on quickly to know who and 
what he was, havin'j no doubt buttliat the man 
either desired to come to tliem or had made a 
fatal mistake ; either way the waji^oner must 
be a prize. But the moment llubhcll saw tiiem 
he turned the horses as quick as he could, and 
put on the lash for life. Here now was a race, 
one wao^oner ciiased by a whole troop of Bri- 



the Briti-,h General, when he ordered a lag-e 
bovib mortal- to be instantly placed in suck a 
position, which he elevated with his ovm hand. 
Fire, haid Washin<>ton, when away went 
the messenf^er of death, like a comet, boding- 
war and ruin to the nations, falling nearly on 
the very head of Clinton, who by springing off' 
on one side and falling flat to the ground while 
tiie terrible thin"' should explode, which it 



tish light-horse; By the time the otficers of did, tearing out a deep hole in the sand and 



the squad had come nearly up with Hubbell, 
they hallooed to know if he wished to join the 
British ; he answered, no. Stop, then, you 
damned rebel, or we shall tire upon you. Fire 
if you will, replied Hubbell, but it is God who 
will direct the shot. But whether they fired or 
not Hubbell said he never knew, as at that in- 
stant the ambush rose from their hiding place, 
and the whole troop nearly to a man were roll- 
ing, horse and rider, in the dust of the road. 



filling the air with chain shot and bullets — thu,s 
making his escape. Ah, eaid Clinton, I must 
remove from this, for depend on't the hand of 
the vid tobacco 'planter has been at work here. 

During this day's fight, it was the fortune of 
Hubbell to have no harder service than to deal 
out rum from the wagon, as the men by accident 
came near where he was posted, all red and 
Ibaming with heat, like so many mowers striv- 
ing for the mastery, and did as much good in 



Hiibbell never stopped, but made the best of this way as if he had been in the battle with a 
his way on the backtrack, till he came near gun, saving many a man from being melted, as 



the old meeting house in Monmouth, where he 
was immediately placed in care of two hogs- 
heads of rum in another wagon, with four hors- 
es harnessed thereto, with orders to refresh the 
men in case of a battle, as they should have 
opportunity to reach the wagon, or to flee with 
it in case of danger of being taken. But Hub- 
bell was no man for fleeing, if he could help it. 
But no sooner had the loud crash of arms 



the day was extremely hot, it being in the heat 
of summer. Washington was not alone, that 
day, for there was Van Schaick, Butler, Lee, 
and Old Put, as he was sometimes called, with 
many other hearts of gold, all brave sons of 
liberty. 

It was a fearful sight, said Hubbell to the 
writer, to see so many human beings in deadly 
conflict, to hear the roar of thunder from the 



which annihilated the troop, struck on the ear cannon's mouth, which sounds much sharper 

of the van of the British army, than it pushed and more spiteful when fired with a ball, than 

on to the rescue, as there could be no doubt with mere powder, to witness the crash of 

there was a skirmish taking place, from the whole battalions o; small aims let off at once, 

tremendous report of small arms heard in the streaking the smokey air with a long line of red 

direction the wagoner had fled, and of Wash- light, like the sudden twinkle of lightning, on 

ington's rebel camp. In a few minutes, there- the edges of the tempest cloud, mingled ever 



fore, the troops of Butler had their hands full, 
who let in upon the advancing enemy's solid co- 
lumns, cutting down whole winrows of them. By 
this time the patriot army were hastening to meet 
the advancing foe, as Washington, by means 
of his out runners, o'er field and brake, knew 
that the whole forces of the enemy were begin- 
ning to move upon him, all drawn out by 
the means of an old wagon. 

Thus the fight was fairly begun, as Wash- 
ington had desired, and early in the morning 
too — a good beffinning for a good day's work. 
It was but a little while now when both pow- 
ers were in a unlverial struggle for victory, 
with man to man, horse to horse, cannon to 
caimon, sword to sword, bayonet to bayonet, 
skill opposed to skill, stratagem to stratagem, 
with courage, daring and death every where. 
During that lono; day's fight, if the British were 
not actually cut to pieces and taken en masse, 
they were compelled to retreat, fleeing to Long 
Island, leaving the ground to God, to Washing- 
ton, the lovers of liberty, and the eagle of vic- 
tory. 



and anon with the strong claps of heaven's ar- 
tillery, higher up on the black vault above. It 
was fearful, while to the heart there was added 
unconquerable vigor, to hear the rough whiz 
of the passing bullet, both of cannon and small 
guns, to see the dash of those powerful minis- 
ters of carnage, the cannon shot, as they plough- 
ed the earth wherever they struck ; to witness 
the fierce but short struggle between man and 
man, armed with the bayonet, as well as all 
llie circumstances of horrid war, amid smoke, 
the dust of the field, and the stifled cries and 
groans of the wounded. It was piteous to 
see the innocent horsa astray in the battle with- 
out a rider, dripping with blood from many a 
horrid gash, hamstringed and strugglino- onward 
in the fight. Such were the sights of the battle 
of Monmouth, witnessed by Hubbell from the 
top of his wagon. 

The day following, Hubbell was selected as 
one of a party of three hundred horse under 
Colonel Butler, to accompany him to the White 
Plains, with the view of cutting off" a certain 
band of rt'(/ coats, who it was ascertained were 



It was during this battle, when the British about to go in that direction, out from the city 



General Henry Clinton, who had stationed 
himself under a certain sand bank, out of the 
reach of dano-er, to give orders and to direct 
the battle, that he came near being killed in 
his hiding place. By some means the eaofle 



of New York, then in the possession of the Bri- 
tish, to plunder, to rewird and encourage the 
tories and {he coro boys. They passed through 
New Jer.-ey by the way of Patterson, coming- 
out on the North river at a place called A^tjack 



eye of Washington had found out this position of on the west side of the Hudson, opposite Tarry- 



19 



20 



toivn, in the noighborliood of Tappan Bay. 
Here they crossed over, and immediately made 
for the woods and hioh grounds back ofTarry- 
town. Here he lay hid six days, doing nothing, 
except keeping a sharp look out. But on the 
seventh day, as Butler himself had ridden out 
before daylight on the road toward New York, 
he ascertained from an eminence b)' the sense 
of healing, that a party of light horse were ra- 
pidly Hearing him, which he doubted not were 
ihe company expected Irom below. 

In a moment the gallant Colonel was on the 
back track, to inform his men of tiie certain 
approach of a large force, as it appeared to 
iiim, on horseback, and an immediate attempt 
must be made to ascertain their character, and 
if enemies to kill them. It was pretty certain 
now, said Hubbell to the writer, that we were 
about to have a skirmish, a thing we were all 
longing for, having been inactive a whole week, 
hid in the woods. 

Let every man see that his gun is right, the 
flint in order, and that the girths are tight, said 
Colonet Butler, and to horse every man. At 
this moment there came running a farmer, liv- 
ing not far off, who was a Yankee whig, saying 
in breathless haste, that at least a hundred Bri- 
tish troop with twice that number of infantry, 
were close upon them on the road, as they had 
passed his house, and that he had cut across 
lots to let them know it. 

Here Butler discovered that they were pro- 
pably twice as strong as he was, and that of 
necessity he must either resort to stratagem, be 
captured, or run away. Choosing, however, 
the former, as he desired much to get a hack 
at the lordly enemy, who had come out to plun- 
der the country, as well as to give counte- 
nance and courage to the tories and cowboys, 
who abounded along the Westchester country. 

The plan of Butler, as projected on the spur 
of the moment, was if possible, to get in be- 
tween the infantry and the horse, a.nd thus do 
the job for the former if he could; then to turn 
upon the latter. In order to produce this effect 
he ordered about twenty of his number to make 
instantly for the road ahead of them, and the 
moment they were discovered by the enemy to 
put spur to their horses and flee, which would 
doubtless tempt the British light horse to fol- 
low hard after lliem, which would separate 
them from the infantry, while with the residue 
Butler intended to bolt in between them, and 
thus by getting them into confusion, be able to 
bring them down. 

A way went the little detachment, while 
Butler took measures to drop in between, v/hen 
the opportunity should offer. He had barely 
taken a position in a thick wood, which was 
considerably ahead on the road of the twenty 
who were sent as a lure, when on came the 
thunder of a hundred horsemen, in full pursuit 
of the flying squad, having get a mile or more 
ahead of the infantry. 

This wasthe moment to strike, when he rush- 
ed upon them from both sides of the way — the 
flyinii- twenty turning at the same time, when 
they found themselves surrounded, by a num- 
ber not exceeding their own. Of this fact it is 



not likely the troop were apprised, or they 
iljight not have surrendered so readily as they 
di.l, tiie only resistance that was made being 
that of but one man. This one man, it appear- 
ed, was determined to break through the Ame- 
rican phalanx, but found it too hard a task. 
Even after he had an arm broke he continued 
to fight, and actually so wounded a man tiiat 
his jaw fell down upon his bosom, a horrid 
sight to look upon. This conduct being so ve- 
ry singular, seeing his comrades had given up, 
and were being disarmed and dismounted, and 
still continuing to slash and cut on every hand, 
struggling to make his escape; Butler ibund it 
necessary to have him shot, as he would not 
give up. 

Hubbell being near was ordered to fire, but 
as there was no charge in his carbine he could 
not obey. The Colonel then said to a man by 
the name of Potter, shoot him. Potter took 
the requisite aim, touched the trigger, but the 
piece missed fire. He then ordered a third 
man to let him. have it, as he still persisted in 
trying to break through and escape. This man's 
shot took effect, and tumbled the poor Hessian 
from his horse, dead in the road. It was found 
out in a few minutes that the whole troop were 
Hessians. Hubbell was now ordered to dis- 
mount and take the dead man's arms, but not 
his clothes, which order he obeyed, being hap- 
py that it was not himself who had killed the 
seemingly heroic man. 

Feak, however, after all, may have been 
the reason of that man's singular behavior, for 
the British had told the Hessians that the Ame- 
ricans were canibals, and devoured all persons 
taken prisoners. On this very account as it 
was supposed, there were several, who on see- 
ing the late of the troop, fled toward the river, 
(the Hudson,) and being closely pursued, ac- 
tually plunged in and were drowned, rather 
than to be eat alive. 

All this was done in less time than it has taken 
to write the above trait. As it respects the 
infantry, as soon as they knew what had taken 
place, tliey turned and tied, nothing doubting 
but the Americans were in much greater force 
than they really were, seeing they had done up 
the job so readily for the Hessian troop. 

Soon after this adventure, and Hubhell had 
again united with his company, who were call- 
ed the Fhjing Hangers, they were again sent 
noithward, passing: through Albany destined tor 
Fort Stunioix, where, as we have already re- 
lated, he had assisted to recover General Her- 
kimer's defeat, and to drive the British out of 
that region. 

At this time there was at Onondaga, a tribe 
of Indians called Onondasas, Avho were ene- 
mies to the Americans, and were powerful 
auxiliaries to the English. Situated as they 
were, in the very neighborhood of the back set- 
tlements of the stale of New York, from whence 
they, with the Mohawks, the Senecas, the 
Caughnawagas from Canada, and others who 
were under the direction of Brant, the educated 
Indian, made dreadful havoc among the back 
settlements at that period. 

The Onondagas had a castle, or rather a 



21 



9'1 



town, at the place now called Sallna, and is 
the great salt mart of tlic west. To destroy 
this place, called Ononda<ja Castle, was of con- 
siderable importance, as from lliis point, it was 
an easy matter for the Onondairas to form a 
war party, and in the course of two days to 
reach some unprotected back settlement. Or- 
ders, therefore, at a certain time were issued 
by General Van Schaick of Albany, who then 
had the command of all the western troops, 
tliat three hundred men, out of the force then 
at Fort Stanwix, should j)roceed to Onondaa^a, 
rout and destroy these Indians if possible. 
Among; the three hundred troops thus drawn 
out was Hubbell and the Flying Ransiers. 

The distance from Fort Sianwix to the place 
of destination, Onondag-a Castle, was about 
fifty miles. It was in the morning- of the day, 
in one of the winter months, that all was ready 
for the expedition, each man with his haver- 
sack, his gun, powder, balls, tomahawk and 
knife. Although there was a fearlessness of 
action, and an evident eagerness of these men 
thus destined to tlie adventure, yet they were 
solemn, as no man could know that himself 
should ever return alive, for the Indians to be 
attacked were a watchful, as well as a fero- 
cious enemy. They left the fort with the good 
wishes, and even with the prayers of those left 
to protect the place, which they did not hesi- 
tate to utter aloud, calling on the Divine being 
to give thern success and a safe return. 

During the day they came within some twen- 
ty miles of the place of destination, although 
the snow was of considerable depth, camping 
down in a thick clump of low hemlocks, grow- 
ing at the bottom of a deep ravine, as soon as 
it was dark. During the nextdaj'-'s operation, 
which was carried forward with much greater 
caution, as they were nearing the neighborhood 
of the Onondagas, and therefore much slower, 
the}' had by the time they camped down the 
second night, not more than two miles or so to 
proceed before the fate of one or other of the 
hostile powers would be known, whether of 
victory or defeat. 

This night, as the night before, they select- 
ed a thicket in a deep and hidden position, to- 
ward which as they had approached, there was 
seen no tracks of Indians in the snow, on which 
account thev felt the more secure. Tiieir plan 
was to reach the town before day lio-ht in the 
morning, and thus if possible to surprize 'he In- 
dians in their sleep. Accordingly, by three 
o'clock they were up from their bed of hem- 
lock boughs, had taken their breakfast, and 
were under wav During this night, it snowed 
furiously, on which account it was difncult for 
them to get but slowly along, as it was very 
dirk, there beinjr a( the time no moon, except 
in the fore part of the evening. But this cir- 
cumstance, the snow storm, 2:'>atlv aided their 
design, as at such a time the Indians would be 
less on their guard, and p'obahlv without any 
guard at all. It was some time before d lylisht, 
when they came within the immediate neigh- 
borhood of Onondaga Castle, separated there- 
from by Onondaga creek. This creek they 
were compelled to wade, which was about 



tliree rods over. To perform this dtity was 
rather a dismal job, as the water came nearly 
up to tlie chins of the shortest of the men, ren- 
dering it very ditlicult to preserve their arms 
from tlie water, and besides this the stream was 
full of what is commonly called sposh or float- 
ing snow, causing the water to be as cold as 
ice itself. 

When this was accomplished and the water 
had dripped a little from their clothes, they 
hastened forward, amid the tempest and the 
darkness of the night, one bcliind the other, a 
kind of military order of pure Indian origin and 
practice, determining to breakfast not till they 
had destroyed the Indians, or should i)c placed 
in that condition where food could do them no 
good. So silent was their approach to the place 
of expected conflict, that not a dog was rous- 
ed, till they had entered the circle of the town 
and began to set fne to the wigwan^s, log hous- 
es and huts. But the moment this work began, 
that moment the dogs pealed forth aery, which 
in the next instant roused (he whole Indian 
multitude, men women and children, who as 
they rushed out from their burning houses or 
huts, yelled dreadfully, the waniors with the 
war cry, the women with fright, and tlie chil- 
dren in the natural way, so that the dogs, In- 
dians, women, children, and the voices of three 
hundred white men, with the roar of the lire, 
and the angry crash of flames, made altogether 
a dreadful uproar there, amidst the tempest and 
the morning twilight. 

The savages, on seeing such a host of men 
in aims, and that escape was impossible, gave 
themselves immediately up without the least 
resistance, except in one case. This excep- 
tion took place while Hubbell was tying the 
hands of a person who had surrendered to him, 
and was occasioned by the interference of an 
old Indian rushing to the rescue of the con- 
quered victim, v.'ho was probably his son. The 
native was determined, and had lifted the tom- 
ahawk to give the fatal blow, when the eye of 
Hubbell saw the motion, and with his gun ar- 
rested the descending arm, so that the hatchet 
was knocked far into the air, and at the same 
moment the bayonet opened a passage to the 
heart of the courageous aboriginal. 

On the part of the whites there was not a man 
lost, as the Indians made no resistance, who 
were all, squaws and poppooses together, taken 
to Fort Stanwix, and from thence were sent to 
Albany, prisoners of war. Thus ended the 
power'of the Onondas;as, a fierce tribe of the 
aborig-inees, who acted in concert with the cru- 
el Moha'vks, Senecas, and CaughnawaL»'as, un- 
der the direction of the British in Canada, 
against the Americans, in the v\'ar of the Revo- , 
lution, headed chiefly by the educated and /«ZZ 
blooded native Braiii, who in the In dian tongue , 
was called T.i-ha-da-naf:;a, with the meaning^ , 
of which we are not acquainted. , , 

After the capture and ruin of Onondaga Cas-i, , 
tie, Hubbell still remained at Fort Stanwix, v | 
goino:ont with scoutina: parties, keeping a look- 
out for the British and the Indians of Canada, 
stationed about Fort Niagara, from whence 



23 



24 



they were continually swarming and maraud- 
ing along the western fintl nortiiern pails of 
New York, then a universal wilderness. On 
one of these dangerous enteq>nzes, which at 
the time the incident we are about to relate 
took place, they were senl out into that regioa 
of the wilderness, north of Fort btanwix, about 
the head waters of Black river, which ei;. plies 
into Lake Ontario at the plac-^ now called 
•Sacket's Harbor, but then a perfect wild. It 
was in the time of Summer, the vvoods and 
the earth being- covered with verdure, rendejed 
the wilderness both to the rays of the sun and 
the sight of (he eye, nearly impervious. On 
this account an enemy could the more secure- 
ly resort to these almost interminable fo.ests, 
which during that war were not overlooked ; a 
condition of things in the mind of an Indian, of 
the utmost importance, as their spirits delight 
in the ambush, and to fall suddenly upon an 
enemy while wending their way in some tan- 
gled woods, or are resting in the secuiity of 
unsuspecting sleep. 

On this occasion, the captain of the party, af- 
ter a fatiguing day's march, had found a place, 
as the sun was but an hour high, or therea- 
bouts, so formed by nature as atfordcd a place 
of encampment for the night, of the most se- 
cure description. On one hand there ran along 
a very high range of perpendicular rocks, bold 
and smooth, with but little forest trees growing 
on the heights. On the other hand there was a 
swamp of considerable magnitude, seeming to 
range along on a parallel with the ledge, giv- 
ing rise to a brook, which no doubt ran into 
the Black Ri'ver. Between the rocks and the 
swale there was a strip of ground so elevated as 
to render it dry and comfortable, a fit position 
for the encampment. 

There were of tlie men about forty in num- 
ber, all brave and keen-eyed riflemen, fearing- 
nothing, yet ever on the look out for the enemy. 
But during that day's march they had seen 
neither the persons nor the trail of Indians, 
yet they slacked not the accustomed security 
of setting a watch, who were placed both above 
and below the place selected to sleep, as well 
as on the side of the swamp. Here against 
the rocks they now kindled a fire, where they 
cooked their supper, and ate it as the twilight 
was deepening into darkness through (he wil- 
derness, having on their minds no apprehen- 
sion of danger, as during the day tliey had seen 
nothing to move or excite suspicion. 

Nevertheless, at that very moment (he wily 
Indians were on the tiail of the while man, and 
had been for several hours, who, being unwil- 
ling to attack the pale faces in open day, hush- 
ed in the depths of their ferocious spiiits the 
cravings of blood-thirstiness, till the darkness 
of the night should afford them a secure oppor- 
tunity to revel in the spontin<ji: gore, and the 
death cry of the victims. The Indians had 
even counted the number of (he whiles, and 
made out (he amount their scalps would fetch 
at eight dollars apiece in Montreal. He, there- 
fore, who could take (he most scalps during 
the night, would get the most monev, as well 
as the most honor from their associate murder- 



ers, the cruel English, which we cannot for- 
bear»to call them. 

The Indians had sent forward on the trail of 
the Americans, as the nigid was setling in, a 
savage warrior, lo note the ])lace where they 
had halted for the night, which lie did from the 
(op of (he ledge, at the basf of which the party 
had lain do'.-n to rest. This Indian now hast- 
ened hack, informing the leader that the prey 
was ready, and in a position to be taken with- 
out the semblance of danger to themselves. 
Ikit Providence had not willed that (he Indians 
should carry (heir design into execution, as by 
the ministiation of a mere pebble-stone warn- 
ing was given to the sleepers below. This was 
done by the means of (he Indian spy. While 
busy in looking over (he ledge to see the exact 
position of the whites, his foot having, as he 
rose from a recumbent position, displaced a 
small round stone, which rolled down the ledge 
and was heard in its descent by the sentinel 
who stood nearest the rocks. 

No sooner did the sentinel discover this (for 
the stone fell just at his feet) than he picked it 
up, which he found to be about the size of a 
parlridge's e^j^g. On holding the pebble to the 
light of (he waning fire, he discovered that one 
side of it had been embedded in the ground, 
and that the other side Avas weather colored. 
This circumstance aroused the fears of the sen- 
tinel, leading him to suppose that there was 
some animal overhead, possibly a panther, or 
it might be that an Indian was on their trail. 

This occurrence was instantly communicat- 
ed (o (he sendnels, who did not hesKate a mo- 
ment to arouse the whole com])any, and to re- 
late the occurrence. The opinion was, that 
the falling of a. mere pebble from the top of the 
ledge could not be a very alarming affair, and 
yet there could be no danger should they re- 
frain awhile from the sweetness of sleep and 
rest, and see what might further happen to 
piove tJie presence of living beings in the 
woods, as neither Indians nor panthers were 
very acceptable neighbors. 

inhere were Indians, they were determined 
not to be out-gcneraMed, and accordingly each 
man took his pack, his gun and all, and retired 
into Ih" wood ■ in the edge of the swamp, which 
was (hick and dense, and but a few rods front 
the place of (heir fire, which had now died en- 
tirely away, except the buried embers. Each 
man, as the captain had directed,, but only in 
whispers, betook himself to a tree, with his gun 
loaded, and ready for the adventure, whatever 
it mig-ht turn out to be. 

Here planted, like so many statues, they had 
remained an hour or more, duiing which time 
the excitement had gone down, and shame, or 
rather impatience, be^an to take its place; but 
as (heir captain had ordered that not a man 
was to move till he should give the token, they 
slill remained silent. But at this juncture of 
time, to their utmost surprise as well as con- 
s(erna(ion, while (hey were gazing at the place 
of (heir fire, and feeling stronf; inclinations to 
retuni to their sleep, there was seen the body 
of an Indian, standing on his knees and stirring' 
the embers of the fire, so that a little light was 



27 



28 



shed around, far enough to aid him in looking 
very keenly about, and listening the mean time 
with a modonless attention; but in a minute or 
so he disappeared, crawling away on his belly, 
as he had come. In a short time after this, 
there were seen two such forms, who also soon 
disappeared. 

From these signs, the party were sure that, a 
game of craft was being played, and that a 
Iray was ahead, renewing, but in a ten fold de- 
gree, the first excitement, mingled with alarm 
enough to keep them awake, and endue them 
■with patience to wait for the captain's signal. 
From the time of the disappearance of the two 
Ind ians, contrary to expectation, there elapsed 
full two [lours before they were again heard 
from, who, after waiting that length of lime, 
became well assured that the whites had left 
their sleeping ground, and were gone farther 
tlown the brook. 

From tills conclusion, the Indians, who were 
about twenty in number, were seen, one after 
another, emerging from the woods above tlie 
place of encampment, gathering along by the 
fire and stirring it up, so that their persons 
were easily perceived. 

Now was the time lor the whites, as the In- 
dians appeared to be inclined to camp down 
until morning, when they meant to renew their 
pur.juit of the party, and to get some if not all 
their scalps, as "before calculated. At this 
moment tlse voice of the captain was heard, 
who was stationed about in the centre of his 
line, speaking in a quick sharp voice, '_' Take 
aim, fire!" — no long speech. In an instant 
the bfaze of forty rifles formed a streak of light 
in the rear of the Indians, on the brow of dark- 
ness, like some unexpected flash of lightning, 
when the thoughts are otherwise employed, the 
report of which rolled back from the face of 
the rocks far in the darkness, with short and 
rapid echoes. 

Nearly the whole band were cut dowMi on 
the spot, as the whites could see from their po- 
sition ; yet they moved not till they had re- 
loaded, a precaution of the utmost propriety. 
On coming to the place, they found them near- 
ly all in the agonies of death, three or four on- 
ly remaining unhurt, who, being taken so un- 
expectedly, were in a maze, and instead of fly- 
ing, called out for quartee, quarten, which was 
granted them. 

This was a narrow escape, and managed 
with skill on both sides. The residue of that 
night was spent in rejoicing, in stripping the 
dead of their arms, clothing, &c., where in the 
morning they were left in their long sleep, be- 
neath the shade of the wilds. 

This band of savages were on their way to 
the Mohawk for scalps, but having discovered 
the party of white scouters, were hanging oa 
their trail to surprise them, as we have already 
sbown, but fell into their own trap. 

It was but a little while after this adventure, 
that Hubbell, who thus far during the war had 
been extremely fortunate, was captured by the 
Indians, and carried oif by the Caughnawagas 
to the wilds of Canada. The occasion was as 
folio «'s: 



•Near the place of Fort Stamvix there was a 
meadow, the grass of which it was desirable to 
preserve, on which account there was sent out 
a posse of men to mow it. But as much as 
possible to protect the mowers, there was post- 
ed around them about thiiy men, under arms. 
Now while in this employment, in the middle 
of the afternoon, just as both the mowers and 
the guard had come together to refresh them- 
selve? beneath a shade there was in the mea- 
dow, their guns laying on the ground, there 
was seen full three hundred Indians, leaping 
the fence nearest tlicm, with each a rifle in his 
hand, and the fearful tommahawk and scalping 
knife bound to the waist by a belt. 

As swift as vultures to the prey, the whole 
three hundred were upon them before they 
could resume their arms; and even had they 
done this, their fate would have been the same, 
as the disparity of numbers was too great, there 
being about nine Indians to every white man. 
In a twinkling, the guard, mowers and all, 
were taken, and their right hands tied behind 
them with a rope, which also was passed around 
the waist of each individual, giving off a length 
of about ten feet, foi-ming a halter, by Avhich 
they were to be led or driven, like so many 
horses. 

This feat, on the part of Indians, was exe- 
cuted without the least noise, excejjtthe sound 
of their feet as they came running. Not a yell 
was uttered nor a gun fired, for they dreaded 
the cannon of Fort Stanwix. Silence and haste, 
therefore, was the order of the onset. But not- 
withstanding the silence of the operation, it 
was seen from the fort, when the cannon's roar 
was soon heard booming over the wilderness, 
but not directed towards the Indians, for fear 
of killing their own men, who were mingled 
everywhere among the enemy. This was done 
as a feint, merely to try to frighten them into 
an abandonment of the prisoners, but without 
effect, for the Indians knew they would not fire 
upon them, so as to endanger their own bro- 
thers, as they would call them. 

In a twinkling they were under way, with 
four Indians to a man, one on the right hand 
and another on the left, with one behind, while 
the fourth had the halter, and took the lead. 
Thus they were hastened to the woods on a full 
run, while the tommahawk was flashing in the 
rays of the sun about their heads, in fair view 
of the men of the garrison, who were unable to 
rescue them, as the movements of the Indians 
were too rapid to be acted upon; and besides, 
they were soon scattered and lost in the wil- 
derness. Surely this was a brave and daring 
feat of the Indians. 

The direction they took was towards' the foot 
of Lake Ontario, plunging deeper and deeper 
into the gloomy woods, through which Hub- 
bell had frequently passed before, but not a 
captive, as now. The Indians fled with great 
speed, as they feared a pursuit from the fort, 
on which account, as Hubbell was exerting 
himself at the end of his halter to keep up with 
his leader, which was very difficult on account 
of one of his hands being tied, his master gave 
him a severe blow with the handle of his hatck- 



29 

et on the side of his head, about the reg^ioii of 
the car, which made all ring attain, crying out 
as he did so, " If'aagli! ff'aav^li!" the meaning 
of which HubbcU said he did not know. 

In this manner they kept on till it began to 
be toward .sundown, when (hey halted for the 
night, and made preparations for their supper 
and a place to sleep. When this was over, they 
set to cutting with their hatchets as many poles 
or strong stakes as equaled the number of the 
prisoners. This operation was watched with 
considerable emotion by the captives, as (hey 
began to fear the cutting of those poles were 
the awful premonitions of their being burnt at 
the stake. Of tins the Indians took n<itice, and 
accordingly used horrid gesticulations &: tierce 
looks, while they shook their tomahawks at 
them, pointing at the tire and writhing their 
bodies one way and another, as they would do 
while being burned alive. But when the stakes 
were driven, it turned out, that they were in- 
tended to be no more than so many posts to 
fasten the prisoner to during the night. When 
this was done the Indians camped down in 
three circles, beginning (he first circle near 
to the posts of the prisoners, and then on 
the outside of this a second, and a third row, 
till all were accommodated except the senti- 
nels. By this arrangement it was impossible 
for any of the prisoners to make their escape, 
even if they had not been tied. 

Th.u? the lirst night of their captivity was 
passed, having been tied to their respective 
stakes, without the least attention to comfort, 
or the position of their limbs. By the lime 
light appeared, the Indians were up and cook- 
ing their morning meal. But before they set 
oft again they were observed to be in council. 
W'hat the subject was which occupied their 
minds, the prisoners could not know, till they 
saw that hco of their number, a couple of aged 
men, by name Gross and Munada, Ger- 
mans, their given names Hubbell had forgot- 
ten, were untied and led out from among their 
fellows. As this was done by two strong In- 
dians to one prisoner, there stepped behind 
them two other Indians, with each a hatchet in 
their hands, who at the same moment sunk 
them deep into their grey heads. They had 
been two of (he mowers ; they fell at the same 
instant dead to the ground. 

The two hatchet men, almost in a twinkling, 
circled the heads of the fallen victims with 
one long and continued gash, but a little above 
the temples, when with their teeth they rent 
oiT their scalps with a yell, sagging back as they 
did it, as a dog would do, in tearing off the 
flesh of a dead horse. This was done because 
it was found that the two prisoners were too 
old and feeble to keep up with the rest, and 
was an awful sight to behold ; but as the deed 
was done at one blow of the hatchet, sunk 
deep into the brains of each, they did not know 
what had hurt them, passing to a world of spi- 
rits without a knowledge of pain. 

Oa the second dav it night they came to the 
lake, when they took to their canoes, which had 
been hidden there till their return, and on the 
morning of the third day paddled over to the 



30 

Canada shore, in (he neighborhood of (he Six 
Nations. From this place (iiey went down 
the St. Lawrence to the location of (he Caiigh- 
nmvagas, where the journey of the Indians 
ended. 

Here were great rejoicings among the na- 
tives, signilied by their yells, as soon as they 
caine witiiin hearing of ihtur camp, giving no- 
tice of (lie number of the prisoners taken, by 
the same amount of the prisoner yell, given olV 
on the lister ing air by the whole three hundred 
Indians at once, all distinct and free from con- 
fusion. This brought out the great Chief him- 
self, the Sachem oi' (he Caughnawagas, a most 
majestic per.-onage, being not only an Indian 
of great size, but was almost covered with 
wampum and silver broaches. The prisoners 
now expected to be compelled to run that race 
of shame and danger, called the Indian gaunt- 
Id ; but for reasons unknown it was omiled, and 
(hey were marched direcdy into the great 
circle of t!ie Caughnawaga village, of huts and 
wigwams. 

Here they remained one night, tied (o stakes 
and laid flat out on the ground, as they had 
been every night from the time they were tak- 
en, and surrounded by the ever watchful In- 
dians, who slept upon the cords which were 
tied around the waists of the prisoners and ran 
along under 'he bodies of several Indians, so 
that the least motion of the captives would 
rouse some one of the guard. 

On the next day the whole tribe had a grand 
ipow-wow around the prisoners, who consisted 
of nearly forty men, (he warriors taking the 
lead of (he dance . During (his terrific pert brm- 
ance, all kinds of horrid gestures were put into 
requisition, such as glaring into the eyes of the 
prisoners, accompanied with screeches, such 
as men would make while being" tortured by- 
fire and burning embers. The tomahawk was 
shaken over their heads quite around (he whole 
circle all at once, and appeared as if they were 
environed round by the fiends of hell let loose 
in the shapes of all the frightened imagination 
could conceive of, and armed with red hot 
knives ready to carve them into mince meat in 
a moment. Sudden springs and leaps of tlie 
Indians over the heads of the prisoners, as they 
sat tied and flat on the ground, seizing them 
by the hair of their heads, as if they would 
scalp them, very much frightened some of llio 
white men. During these antics, all the yells 
of which the Indian education is master of, and 
used in time of war, were howled over their 
heads. The prisoner yell, the scalp yell, the 
war yell, the battle yell, the hunter's y&W, the 
victor's yell, the fire yell, the ambush yell, 
and the cleath or torture yell, which was the 
most awful of all the rest, being uttered in 
quick, short screaches, drawn out to a low, 
dying cadence, but renewed again and again 
with more violent signs of agony, as would be 
exhibited by a victim in the midst of being^ 
burnt, cut, torn, and mangled all at once. 

What the end of all this hubbub would be 
the prisoners knew not, but they dreaded the 
worst, as they knew how often some poor 
wretch was passed through fire and suffering 



SI 



32 



to eternity, to appease the manes of departed 
warriors, according- to Indian lore. When this 
was over, two Indians to one white man seized 
them all by the shoulders and jerked them to 
their feet, with the exclamation waugh, utter- 
ed short but deep, and were put upon a run, 
with an Indian at the end of every halter as 
from the first, and several following- behind 
with yells and the brandished tomahawk. ' In 
(his manner they were taken to Montreal and 
given over to the British, prisoners of war. 

But Hubbell was not among tl em ; the In- 
dians had detained him, and as he feared in liis 
heart for the worst that lie could dread, as he 
had been guilty as he supposed of a very great 
indiscretion during the awful pow wow above 
spoken of. While that terrific pantomime of 
tragedy was enacting, there was one big head- 
ed, bare headed, broad mouthed, short, squat 
formed Indian, most hideously painted with 
red, black, and blue, who with a tomahawk in 
■one hand, and a scalping knife in the other, 
seemed to have singled out Hubbell in particu- 
iar, to vex and frighten. He at first came 
close to him, glared him in the face, gave a 
long protracted yell, and then sprang back as 
if he would throw his hatchet at his head, mak- 
ing all Jhe requisite motions for such an act. 
Then he would leapofl^'in some other direction, 
passing behind the other Indians, and then 
again lie would come at him, with all the an- 
tics, grimmaces and gesticulations possible to 
the Indian face, accompanied with yells cor- 
responding. These kind of capers being con- 
tinued and directed pointedly against Hubbell, 
roused his anger, so that forgetting himself he 
attempted to spring to his feet to go at the Indian, 
but was hekl back by his rope, which on com- 
ing the extent of it twitched him backward so 
that he fell against his stake, where he sat 
shaking his fist at the native, and making- 
mouths back again. The Indians all saw this, 
and thought the white man was mad, when 
they gave a long, queer kind of a yell, follow- 
ed with whoops and much laughter, so that the 
squat or short Indian was soon missing, as he 
found the white man despised him and the In- 
dians were laughing at him. 

For this indiscretion Hubbell feared he was 
detained to be put to death. But the result 
showed that far otherwise was to be his fate, as 
we shall now relate. 

There was in the Caughnawaga camp an In- 
dian woman of noble blood, according to 
Indian estimation, for she was a sister of the 
ipreat sachem himself. This squaw had lost in 
the war an only son, on which account she had 
a right, according to Indian jurisprudence, to 
make choice of any male prisoner, and adopt 
him as her own son. By this law, even a pri- 
soner bound to the stake might be rescued, so 
sacred is this privilege held by the Indians, 
influenced no doubt by some supposed con- 
nection such a choice may have with the desti- 
ny of the departed spirit. Among all the prison- 
■ers who had been brought to the camp of the 
Caughnawagas, the bereaved mother had seen 
none towards whom the feelings of that squaw 
had been moved till she saw this Hubbell, and 



^us dauntless bearing when the grotesque In- 
dian in the pow wow had provoked him. 

This determination of hers she had signified 
to her brother, the great chief, who had order- 
ed the Indians to leave that prisoner with him, 
pointing to Hubbell. Nature had been gene- 
rous in the Ibrmation of this man, as he was 
very handsome, had a loud rapid manner of 
speaking, as well as being of exceeding ener- 
getic action, quick tempered, violent and Adn- 
dictive; all of which qualtiies the noble squaw 
had noticed and admired, which, in her esti- 
mation was the verv counterpart of her depart- 
ed son, and no doubt influenced her choice of 
tills man. 

But of all this Hubbell knew nothing till he 
saw the woman rushing towards him, with all 
the eagerness she would have manifested if her 
own son had just returned to her arms. She took 
him by the hand and immediately led him to 
her lodge, caressing and making a world of 
him as they went along. 

It was now made known to Hubbell, by an 
Indian who could speak English, that he had 
become the son of the sister of the chief, and 
that it was the desire of the Indians to know 
whether it suited him. To this he immediate- 
ly replied yes, when there was a great yell set 
up among the Indians, who came around him, 
shaking liands and saying me brother, me bro- 
ther. 

In this transaction, Hubbell was peculiar- 
ly fortunate. He had passed the Rubicon 
on the right side, and at the right time; for if 
he had said no, instead of yes, when he was 
questioned whether he would be (he adopted 
child of the Indian molher, it would have seal- 
ed his death, as it would have become her pre- 
rogative as well as her duty, according to In- 
diar divinity, to have had him sacrificed for 
the sake of her departed son. 

Hubbell was now^ considered as being on an 
qual footing with the Indians, and partook in- 
all their sports, their dances, hunting parties, 
&c., although as yet he could understand but 
ie\y of their words, except by an interpreter. 
In their hunting parties, they soon found that 
Hubbell was equal to their best shots with the 
rifle, and could as easily bring down a deer at 
a great distance as any of themselves. 

In their dances and other peculiar customs, 
such as giving the various yells, he was rather 
awkward, making much sport for the Indians. 
But this did not discourage him, for no niatter 
what was ooing on among them in the line of 
recreation, Hubbell would have a hand in it. 
In this way he gained rapidly the good will, 
of not only the Indians, but of "the squaws slso; 
and besides, he had a strong desire to become 
expert in their customs, and to remain with 
themfor life, as by it he foresaw, from the po- 
sition he was likely to occupy among them, 
that he could acquire riches. 

Hubbell had been with the Indians about a 
month, when on a certain day, among other 
recreations such as Indians delight in, they 
made a foot race, in which many an Indian, 
under the eye of the chief, and the great war- 
riors of the nation, strove for the victorj' over 



S3 



34 



each other. Now when all who pretended to 
any speed liad taken Iheir turn, there Mas one 
Indian who outran all the rest, and was there- 
fore considered (lie cliief of (he runners. When 
Uiis was done, and tlie sports were coming- to 
a close, nothing- would do but the white man 
must run with the Indians. Accordingly he 
put on a pair of moccasons, tightened his belt, 
and tied a handkerchief round his head, ready 
for the race, as it would not do for him to de- 
cline, or he would have been called a coward. 

The Indians had no doubt but their poorest 
runners could easily outrun the white man ; but 
in this they were much mistaken, as Hubbell 
knew not liis fellow among the ranks of his re- 
giment, in the foot race, prior to his being car- 
ried to Canada. 

That their brother, the white Indian, was to 
try his speed in the race, was soon whispered 
about among the lodges — so that the squaws, 
with whom Hubbell was beginning to be a fa- 
vorite, came out to see the sport. Even the 
wife of the chief, and his three most beautiful 
daughters, and the mother of the newly made 
Indian, could not refrain to gratify their curio- 
sity. 

Hubbell had narrowly watched and estimat- 
ed the strength, speed and wind, of every run- 
ner on the ground, so that he knew the utmost 
any of them could do, even the one who had 
beat ihem all. His confidence, therefore, in 
his own prowess, furnished him with the neces- 
sary presence of mind on this highly important 
occasion, where chiefs, warriors, and the no- 
ble squaws of the tribe were to be spectators. 

It was not the intention of the great hero of 
the race to run with the white man at all, as in 
his mind any of the Indians could outrun him. 
Accordingly, one of the natives who was con- 
sidered scarcely a medium, or but a common 
runner, was selected to make the first race, 
which they had no doubt would be the last one, 
as they had calculated that beating him once 
would be sufficient. The distance was about 
thirty rods which they were to run, and lay 
along on a perfectly level grassy lawn, a little 
without the circle of tlieir lodges, the lines be- 
ing marked about six feet apart, by the fre- 
quency of the footsteps of the sporting Indians, 
and were drawn as straight as the flight of a 
well directed arrow. 

The two racers were soon brought to the 
mark, when the chief sachem himself stood by 
to give the word go, which he did in the Indian 
tongue, and was tantee, signifying run, utter- 
ed in a quick, strong, loud voice, with the 
whole emphasis on the last syllable, as tanfec. 
Away they sprang with a light foot, the Indian 
."jtraining every nerve to reach the mark first, 
HtAbell taking care to keep even with his 
antagonist until they should near the goal, 
when he let out a link or two, and gained the 
race. 

This was an unlocked for event, and sur- 
prized the Indians somewhat; but as he had 
beaten but a few inches, they thought it must 
have been by accident. Accordingly, another 
runner, swifter than the first, was brought to 
the mark, while Hubbell was allowed to 



breathe a little. But in a minute or two the 
word tantee was given — the race was soon run, 
and lo! the while man had beat again, but a 
few inches only, as before. On seeing this, (he 
Indians looked at each other with surprise, and 
evident discontent, as they do not like to be 
outdone. 

But Hubbell 's Indian mother was in ecsta- 
cies; as her son had now beat twice, he was 
getting to be a brave, as a racer, as well as a 
shooter. The great chief also seemed much 
delighted, and patting Hubbell on the shoulder 
said in the Indian tongue, brave — brave white 
Indian; bring fire-water — white Indian nmst 
drink. Hubbell had made now two races in 
succession, and began to be a little heated, 
and flush in the face, but in no wise out of 
breath. 

In a short time a third runner, second only 
to the swiftest Indian the tribe could boast of 
was led to the mark beside the white man. 
The Chief was there; all was ready; tantee, 
was the cry which pa?sed his dusky lips, when 
away they went with amazing velocity; the 
Indian putting forth all his speed, as if it was 
for his life. Hubbell soon found in this racer, 
that he had a strong and swift man to contend 
with who was not easily to be outrun. Be- 
tween them the struggle was severe, on the part 
of the Indian, every nerve was put in requisi- 
tion, and yet the white man was before him 
nearly half his length, coming out farther ahead 
of this, than he had of the other two runners, 
when the goal was reached. 

This was strange. The Indians began (o 
look a little mad, except the Chief, his daugh- 
ters, and Hubbell 's tawny mother, who were 
evidently highly pleased. There was but one 
more for Hubbell to out run, when he would 
become the chief of the runners. This Indian 
began now to look upon the white man as a fit 
competitor for himself to contend with, as his 
eye was seen to brighten, with sudden flashes 
of light. He was seen to tighten the strings of 
his moccasons and belt, and to adjust his cos- 
tume in general, as well as to leap with quick 
and fitful springs here and there, as if to sup- 
ple his limbs for the struggle, while the fire of 
his countenance denoted desperation. 

By this time the Indians had become so 
much excited by the running of their new bro- 
ther, that they formed two rows along the 
whole course of the race ground, in order to 
witness by the closest scrutiny the manner of 
his running. 

All being ready, both toeing the mark, (he 
word tantee rang along the course from the lips 
of the chief, when away they went, like two 
arrow s shot from two strong bows, tbeir eyes 
keenly bent on the distant stake, which wa» 
crowned by a lofty tuft of rich red feathers, at 
the end of the race. All was silence, except 
the sound of the runners' feet; every eye was 
fixed, and every attitude bespoke intensity of 
feeling among the concourse. It seemed ta 
the beholders that the runners would fain grasp, 
the distance at a leap, and as if they were be- 
ings with natures between mortals and spirits, 
so exceedingly swift was their way over the 




• ^•y/'^^,*' <•<»/»#'#'<»<•/•»» .^ ■<' x-yx^ • « 



37 



giouiiil. But the distance was not more than 
Isvo thirds passed, when it was seen that tlie 
white man was ahead of his competitor. In 
the Indian's countenance was marked dismay, 
even to distortion, while on the face of Hub- 
bell there were the signs of victory. Security 
sat on his brow, and hope played in a smile on 
his lips, as he found himself passing the In- 
dian. 

In a moment more the race was won; Hub- 
bell came out ahead a foot or two, of the great 
runner of the Caughnawagas, when there was 
set up such a yelling and ca-whooping, as was 
seldom heard in the camp of these Indians, 
their sulkings passing entirely away, (except 
the out-ran native) in amazement of the great 
white runner, every one saying in their tongue, 
*' great brave, much brave white man." 

The sports of this day were ended with a feast 
of dog meat, bear and deer, and a general pow- 
loow in the evening, or great dance, in which 
Hubbell took his part as well as he could, 
pleasing the Indians as well as the squaws by 
his mistakes and Yankee capers, although he 
had become an Indian. 

In tiiose dances the natives made use of vari- 
ous chaunts, or songs, which doubtless were 
historical, or traditionary, celebrating their 
own great deeds, their origin, the powers of the 
Manitoas, both good and evil, the remembrance 
of departed warriors and chiefs of their nation, 
with whatsoever an Indian loves and vene- 
rates. As reported by Hubbell, while writing 
the story from his lips, one of their songs or 
chaunts, which they often repeated over and 
over with great glee and uproar, in full chorus, 
in their pow-wows, ran thus — 

Cat-a-la-taw, Cat-a-Ia-taw, 
• :a!i-che-naw, Caii-c.he-iiaw, 
Haw-aw-ne-lie, hew-aw-ne-haw, 
Caw-clic-na w, Che-aw-ue-haw ; 

always ending with three merry yells, scientifi- 
cally given, according to Indian logic. 

But we are now approaching a point in the 
story of Hubbell's adventures among the Indi- 
ans of Canada, which was of a far more roman- 
tic character than the narrative of his capture 
in the meadow of Fort Stanwix, or any other 
point of his history, from the time of his enter- 
ing the service at Fairfield, in Conn, to the time 
of his discharge by the pen of Washington, at 
Snake Hill, in Orange Co. N. Y. on the Hud- 
son river, and was as follows: 

On the next day after the race, as Hubbell 
was walking up and down the great circle of 
the lodges of the Caughnawaga encampment, 
or town, he was accosted by the interpreter In- 
dian, who said to him, "the chief wishes to 
have you marry one of his three daughters, and 
to become his son, and a chief of the tribe. At 
this moment, there came out of the royal tent, 
the great Sachem, with his three peerless daugli- 
ters, all dressed in the gaudy manner of rich In- 
dian females. Their persons, from the should- 
ers down far below the waist, were mantled 
with fine, glossy, bright blue cloth shawls or 
blankets, almost covered with large silver 
brooches. Their foreheads were bound round 
with a narrow list of white wampum, of the 






richest description, contrasting sweetly witli 
the long black tresses of their heads — the olive 
hue of their complexion, and their eyes of jel, 
which sparkled like so many stars, lit up by {\\^. 
ever burning fires of youth and wild vivacity, 
as well as witli instinctive intelligence. Their 
teeth, when they laughed, appeared like rows 
of alabaster, and the Ibrms ol their faces sucii 
as even a while man would look upon with rap- 
ture. The high prominent ciieck was not there, 
nor the flattened nose; these were of the fairest 
Grecian or Circassian forms. Their eyes were 
not small and fiery, like the serpent's eye, as 
Indians' generally are, but large, brilliant and 
lustrous, seeming to float in a fountain of de- 
light, except when angered; then wrath, it is 
true, cast over the contour of their faces a stern- 
er touch; and yet it may be said it was but a 
heightening of their beauty — not so lovely, but 
equally to be admired — exciting awe, rather 
than the softer emotions of the heart. 

Their heights, though there was a shade's dif- 
ference between them, was beneath, rather than 
above mediocrity, but were elegantly ibrmed, 
slender at the waist, small ancles and small feet! 
Their motions and gestures were free, easy and 
flowing, fair specimens of the artless education 
of nature, like those of the swan, while breast- 
ing the pelucid plain of some deep lake, or the 
agile and undulating motions of the leopard on : 
the Syrian mountains. Their feet were cover- 
ed with moccasons of the doe skin, gaily in- 
wrought with a variety of colored beads, and 
the quills of the porcupine, wliile their ancle 
dress, reaching to the knee, was of the finest 
red broadclotli,Hnd the short, scanty petticoat 
of blue like their blankets, richly trimmed or 
flounced with stripes of red, green and vellow 
ribbons, as well also as was the lower edo-es of 
their cloaks, presenting to the wondering eyes 
of Hubbell, a group of the gentler sex^ v/ho 
might well be looked upon as the Ilebes of the 
wilderneso, or the houris of the fabled heaven 
of Mahomet. (See plate.) 

Hubbell was now requested to approach, 
when the interpreter again said, " ihe o-reat 
Sagamore wishes you to marry one of liis daugh- 
ters, and offers you the choice of one amone- 
the three." ^ 

By this abrupt manoeuvre of the Cliief, it i^ 
evident that he knew nothing of the inexpressi- 
ble workings of the heart — tjie fancy and mu- 
tations of circnmstances which go before an 
avowal of love, when the sexes give themselves 
away to each other ; all he seemed to be capa- 
ble of was to leap into the very midst and me- 
rits of the case, at one bound, as he would do 
in battle in times of war. 

Tliis unlocked for honor, flie proffer of the 
hand of one of the Sachem's daughters, who 
among the Indians were looked upon as high m 
rank and dignity, as are the children of a king, 
among white men, very much disconcerted 
Hubbell in relation to a suitable answer to be 
returned to the mighty Indian, the father of the 
young princesses. An immediate answer, how- 
ever, must be forth coming, or it would aro-ue 
indifference or dislike, both in the eyes ofihe 
Chief and his daughters, which for his life' ho 



39 



I must not allow lo take place. And lurther, 
J though he should make choice of one, and 
5 thereby please the Sachem, yet the two girls 
^ not so chosen, would feel themselves slighted 
I by the wliite man, and their vengeance might 
1 work his ruin. He therefore answered cun- 
: ningly, that he loved them all alike, and there- 
: fore could not make a choice. When this an- 
swer was reported, it became the Chief's turn _ 
to be thrown into a quandary, as the answer 
flattered his pride, but made no choice of eith- 
er of his daughters to be the white man's wife. 
We wish here to notify the reader, that the 
answer of Hubbell was not exactly true, about 
his inability to make choice of one of his 
daughters, for already, but unknown to any but 
themselves, they had loved and exchanged 
hearts, far away from the lodge of her father, 
and had become the object of each other's ado- 
ration. The story of when and how this was 
done, is as follows; The reader has not for- 
gotten the four Indians whom Hubbell outran, 
on the day of the races, and especially tlie great 
runner, whose name was Weeookee or the swift. 
In the minds of these savages, the remembrance 
of their defeat was not to be extinguished with- 
out due revenge, the heaven of the darkened spi- 
rit of the wild aboriginal man. But in the true 
Indian character, they kept the secret of their 
vengeful feelings among themselves, feeding 
and cherishing this lire of hell, from every new 
instance of the Chief's favors bestowed on 
Hubbell. But there was one of the Sachem's 
daughters, the youngest, who had from the be- 
ginning loved the white man, as she saw in him 
the numerous advantages his superior education 
and knowledge gave him over the mere Indi- 
ans; and besides, his daring spirit, his great 
beauty of form and countenance, with the little 
but decided attentions he had in the most ten- 
der as well as in the most secret manner be- 
stowed upon her, had won her heart ; (hough 
Hubbell knew it not. This girl, whose name 
was Estaloee, or the white lilly, had narrowly 
watched the gloomy demeanor of the four crest- 
fallen racers, and knew that ere long some fell 
stratagem would be resorted to, in order to 
compass the death of the white man, as with- 
out this their spirits could not rest. About this 
time, there was a great hunt to be entered up- 
on, in order to recruit their now almost ex- 
hausted store of venison and bear meat; of 
which party Hubbell was to number one. In 
getting ready for this important adventure, it 
was noticed by Estaloee that the four sulky In- 
dians, were now remarkably bland and talka- 
tive toward the white man, which led him to 
believe that they had forgotten their chagrin, 
occasioned by his out running (hem. 

But not so with Estaloee. She better under- 
stood those traits of character in her brothers 
of the forest. She knew that beneath fair 
speeches and their kindly behaviour, smoulder- 
ed the hot rudiments of torture and death. On 
this account, when the party had been gone but 
an hour or so, Estaloee, having furnished her- 
self with some dried venison and parched com, 
a small fusee and a knife, set off, but unknown 
to any one, on the trail of the party. 



The course (he hunters took was northwest 
of ibeir encampment, on the north side of the 
river St. Lawrence, leading otf into the inter- 
minable wilderness of Canada. It was not dif- 
ficult for the heroic girl (o follow the trail of so 
large a company, which she did, till the night 
of iheir first encampment, taking great care 
not to be discovered by the hun(ers ; sleeping 
herself, (he first night, but a little Avay (rom 
(hem, in (he crevice of a ledge, convenient for 
the purpose, where doubtless many a pan{her 
and wolf had slept before. In the morning she 
soon found, that the parlies were dividing their 
numbers, in order more effectually to encircle 
a certain tract of country, for the purpose of 
concentrating the game. In this operation she 
soon found that neither her eye nor ear had de- 
ceived her, in the matter of her apprehensions 
about the safety of the white man she loved so 
well, for she saw that the identical four Indians 
who had been outran by Hubbell, were keep- 
ing close company with him, as well as three 
or four others, friends and relations to the four 
defeated Indians. So adroitly had the enemies 
of the white man managed, that he was placed 
in their midst in the position of (he march. 
They made haste on (heir way in (he Indian file, 
and over ground wi(h which Estaloee was well 
acquainted ; it being along on a level place, 
adjoining to a (remendous precipice, between 
which and (he place (hey were (hen passing 
over, (here was a sudden elevation of ground, 
some twenty feet liigh, making (he brow of (he 
awful descent beneath. They had ascended this 
ridge to the very summit, when ail of a sudden 
the four Indians who were defeated by Hubbell * 
in the race gave a smothered yell, dropped 
their guns on the ground, and seized him by 
the shoulders, arms, legs and feet, and were 
evidently dragging liim forward to cast him 
headlong down the mountain (o the yawning 
gulf benea(h. 

But the intentions of these murderous Adllains, 
though not anticipated by the confiding white 
man, had been fully comprehended by the in- 
s(inc(ive foresight of (he fai(hful hearted child 
of nature, whose love of (he doomed pale face 
had shot itself nearly out of (he pale of human 
capabilities, and mingled with the intuitive 
powers of" spirits. 

By this light, the strong promptings of love, 
her knowledge of the character of her race, and 
the horrors of the precipice toward which they 
were silently moving, prior to their act of vio- 
lence, Estaloee had darted to the summit of the 
ridge. Here, as she stood above them, hidden 
by a clump of laurels, her eye was upon them, 
as (hey let fall their guns, and were seizing up- 
on the unsuspecting white man. In a moment 
the fusee of the princess, by a well directed 
shot, laid one of the assailants dead, while the 
bullets wi(h which her piece was loaded, broke 
the arm of another. Emboldened by (he sharp 
ring of the shot of her own hand, she sprang 
like a young panther from her ambush, and let- 
ting fly the hatchet, it cleft the scull of a third 
Indian, who fell dead to the ground. By this 
time Hubbell had recovered his feet, as the 
fourth villain let go his hold and fled, leaving 



41 



42 



his gun on the ground, and givingone dreadful 
yell of fear, as he saw what had taken place, 
and by whose hand. 

At this juncture, the girl, though the child 
of a savage, and educated in the wild customs 
of the woods, fell at the feet of Hubbell, in a 
deep, long swoon, from the mere force of ter- 
ror, not for herself, but for the white man. 

Hubbell knew her in a moment, and forget- 
ting the other Indians, who were conlederate 
with the four who had made the attack, took 
her up in his arms, and fled to a marshy spot 
of ground, over which he had passed but a few 
moments before, and scooping up with his 
hand the water which was standing among the 
bogs of the swail, which he sprinkled over her 
bare head and bosom. By this means she slowly 
recovered, finding herself in the arms of the ve- 
ry man whose life she had saved, and who 
was fondly kissing her forehead, cheeks and 
lips, as if there was no danger near. 

By these signs, she knew that she was loved 
in return, and the bright Indian maid was hap- 
pier far than the anticipations of a flowery lodge 
in the heaven of the happy hunting grounds, in 
the kingdom of the great Manitou, could make 
her. Ihe other Indians, who had conspired to 
take the life of the brave white man, fled, and 
were never after heard of, as they knew the 
Chief would have them shot, were they to re- 
turn to the camp, on the evidence of his daugh- 
ter against them. 

That night, the lovers, as we may now term 
them, kept watch from the point of a lofty 
mountain summit, beneath an overhanging 
ledge, where by signs and tender words, they 
expressed their feelings of fondness for each 
other, which were innocently reciprocated, 
though their respective languages were not un- 
derstood by either. In the morning, they bent 
their way toward the Caughnawaga camp, each 
armed cap-a-pie, subsisting on the food they 
had prepared for the journey, previous to start- 
ing on the hunt. 

When they had come witliin a mile or tvvo 
of the home of the young Indian, they contrived 
by signs and gestui-es to make each other un- 
derstand that they would not go together, but 
that Estaloee should go first and report to her 
father that she had been on a visit to a relation 
not far off, while Hubbell was not to return in 
a day or two. This stratagem was resorted to, 
that it should not be known that the daughter 
of the Chief and the white man had seen each 
other in the woods, or that she had been out on 
the trail of the hunters. 

At length the party returned, laden with 
meat and skins ; but no one knew what had be- 
come of the eight Indians, as Hubbell had tak- 
en the precaution to drag the bodies of the dead 
to the edge of a deep ravine or fissure in the 
mountain, andto tumble them deep into its bow- 
els, guns and all, so that no traces of them ev- 
er appeared ; while the other foiu- or five went 
off to some other tribe. 

Thus we have seen the manner in which Es- 
taloee, one of the Chief's daughters, and Hub- 
bell the white man, had become enamored of 



each other; yet unknown to any one of all the 
tribe but themselves. 

But to return to the condition of the Chief's 
mind, who wc left musing on the answer of the 
white man — which was, that he loved all his 
daughters alike. This state of the case wa.s 
not of very long continuance ; for almost in a 
moment after Hubbell's answer was heard by 
the fond Estaloee, from the lips of the interpre- 
ter, she sprang with the ardor and eagerness of 
a child, into his arms, fondly kissing ner lover. 

In tliis condition Hubbell scarcely knew how- 
to demean himself, though once or twice it was 
seen that he returned the caresses of the guile- 
less beauty, yet he did not know but it was at 
his peril, as all the Indians were looking on. 
From all fear, however, on that account, he 
was soon relieved, by the Chief's giving a great 
ca-whoop, and the whole tribe following with 
screams and yells of laughter, crying out in the 
Indian language, " much good, much big good, 
brave pale face." 

When this fit had subsided, the Chief made 
a very singular request, as he saw that the 
white man loved his daughter; and this was, 
that Hubbell should court Estaloee, in the same 
way that white men courted the girls they in- 
tended to marry. Our hero now finding that 
his gallantry was to be tested in a very curious 
way, in the sight of all the Indians and squaws, 
determined to gratify them in the most ludi- 
crous way, with a view of rjiising another 
laugh. Accordingly, he sprang to his feet, 
and by a quick motion, threw the girl on his 
back, holding her by the wrists over his shoul- 
ders, while her feet hung down behind. In this 
position, he set off on a run for a little way, 
then laid her down on the ground, and jumped 
over her; but from this position the girl as 
quick as the twang of a bow-string, sprung to 
her feet, and would have fled, but as Hubbell 
was as supple as she, he caught her up in his 
arms, and folding her tight to his bosom, re- 
turned to the place he started from, kissing and 
fondling her as he went in the most rapturous 
manner; talking all the while, in English, a 
lingo of nonserse, expressive of his love of Es- 
taloee, very well understood by the interpre- 
ter. 

On seeing this caper of the white man over 
his daughter, the Cliief as well as the Indians, 
fell into renewed fits of laughter, crying out, 
" Venarly, yenarly ! augh, yenarly ! augh, ye- 
narly !" which signified, "good, very much 
good !" and so on. 

But as to the young princess, Estaloee, we 
are not to suppose that during all this time she 
remained passive on the back and in the arms 
of Hubbell. Oh, no — far from this; for she 
was kicking, wringing and flouncing nobly to 
get away, and screaming, "augh, yonktaw ! 
yenarly, yonktaro ! yonktaw, augh yenarly , 
yonktaxo .'" which signified, " no good, no 
good, much bad, very bad white man !" and 
yet Hubbell held her firmly, and would not let 
her go. 

Now when the Indians had pleased them- 
selves a minute or two in this way, the great 
Sagamor^os^ip^teDDe^maiesticall^fmj- 



;43 

ward, and made a sign, by a quick mofion of 
Ihe hand, that a circle should be formed around 
the couple; in which position, the Sachem 
prononnced a long harangue over them, which 
was, as he was told by the interpreter, the mar- 
riage ceremony, and that he was the husband 
of Estaloee, and the king's son-in-law. No 
sooner was this ceremony ended, than the Chief, 
cast over the shoulders of Hubbell a rich blue 
cloth blanket, bespangled with silver brooches, 
surmounting the whole with a taudry belt of 
wampum, so that in a twinkling he had passed 
from the condition of a plebian, to that of a 
belted Sachem. 

Having now become an Indian noble, by 
marriage, he was ready and qualified to devote 
his attentions to his adventurous, heroic and 
beautiful bride of the forest, who was as proud 
as a queen, and as happy as she could be in 
her new and delightful charfcier — that of the 
wife of the brave white man. 

Hubbell, as he informed the Avriter, had now 
made up his mind to remain for life among the 
Indians, as he saw from the position he had ac- 
quired among them that he could possess him- 
self of wealth and importance ; and besides 
that he loved Estaloee as he had never loved 
before, and that he had settled his mind to re- 
main forever with the Caughnawagas. In this 
happy and contented state of feelings, he went 
with his adored little warrior wife, and took 
possession of the new lodge or wigwam the 
Chief had erected on purpose, as the dwelling 
of his white, and highly esteemed son. It was 
fashioned after the royal manner, lined with 
the skins of the bear, wolf and buffalo, as well 
as festooned with ribbons, suited in its gay 
adornments to the joys of the first bridal month, 
or till the moon should have waxed and waned 
her course once through the heavens. 

This happy month, to the newly married pair 
(of all nations and tribes) was commenced by 
feasting, dances and pow-wows, the Indians 
furnishing fowls, deer and bears from the wil- 
derness, and fish from the waters; while Hub- 
bell and his Sachem queen, wandered where 
they would, among the interminable forests, 
making themselves happy in each other's com- 
pany : the husband siriving hard to learn from 
the lips of his wife, her mother tongue, while 
Estaloee as eagerly watched to catch the sound 
of the English from the voice of her lord. 
Thus passed the happy days and nights, till 
nearly two weeks of the honey moon had spun 
her course aloft, when this dream of happiness 
was broken in upon, and its spirit changed as 
by the magic of some hell-born ghost. 

That there was such a man as Hubbell taken 
prisoner at Fort Stanwix, and then left among 
the Caughnawagas, was not known to the Eng- 
lish at Montreal, till found out from the acci- 
dental talk of a straggling intoxicated Indian 
of the tribe. Immediately there was ordered 
out a posse of twenty men, of the infantry, com- 
manded by a lieutenant, who was sent to the 
camp of the Caughnawagas, but nine miles dis- 
tant, with orders to bring the prisoner, Hubbell, 
from thence to the garrison at Montreal. 

On the morning of this day, which bid fair to 



be clear and bright, Estaloee awoke from the 
bosom of her husband with a dreadful scream, 
springing at the same time quite from their 
sleeping couch to the very midst of the lodge, 
her small foot pressing naked upon the furs of 
the floor, where she stood in an attitude of hor- 
ror, as if her eyes were gazing on some dread- 
ful spectre, invisible to all but herself. 

In a moment Hubbell was by her side ; and 
taking the trembler in his arms, eagerly desir- 
ed in broken Indian to know what had so dis- 
turbed her imagination. She then stepped out 
of the tent, and in a moment portrayed on the 
ground, with the end of a stick, a monstrous 
serpent — pointing at tlie same time to some red 
cloth, to show that it was red; and then she 
fled before it to show that it chased her. By 
this it was understood that she had seen the ser- 
pent in a dream. Hubbell laughed, and tried 
to soothe her ; but she shook her head and re- 
fused to be comforted. 

This scene had scarcely passed over, when 
thei'e was heard far in the woods, towards Mon- 
treal, the yell of an Indian, indicating the com- 
ing of strangers, a yell fully understood by all 
the natives, as well as by Hubbell. The sound 
of this cry had barely made its last echo on the 
air, when there was seen through the green fo- 
liage, the gleaming of the red coats of the Bri- 
tish, and their burnished guns and bayonets, 
rapidly hastening toward the encampment. 

In a moment, the heait of Estaloee took 
alarm, as if instinctively assured that some evil 
was pending over the head of her sannop or 
husband ; and accordingly made signs that he 
should hide. But this idea did not suit the 
warrior notions of Hubbell; who accordingly 
stood his ground, holding the hand of his bride, 
in the face of the serpent marked on the ground, 
till the British had entered the camp. 

Immediately the Chief was inquired of, re- 
specting the captive, and informed that in the 
name of the king he was sent for, and must be 
hastened to Montreal. It was in vain that the 
Chief remonstrated, by stating that the prisoner 
had been adopted into the tribe and had be- 
come his son by marriage; as they immediate- 
ly took him by force and hurried him away, 
paying no attention to the cries of the yonng 
woman he had married. 

In doing this, they did not take from him his 
Indian dress and signs of his noble standing 
among the natives; but made him wear them 
quite to Montreal, calling him all the way the 
Yankee Sagamore. 

When they had got him Avithin their encamp- 
ment, the soldiers made a ring about him, and 
in imitation of the Indians, had a mock pow- 
Avow, calling him all sorts of low and abusive 
names, as "Yankee rebel," " a white Indi- 
an," &c., giving him sundry kicks, blows and 
cuffs on the ear. All these indignities Hub- 
bell bore very patiently till the cuff on his ear 
took place ; when his temper gave way, and 
clutching the fellow who gave it, he fastened 
his teeth to one of his ears, as a dog would do, 
and at the same time, right and lef^ with both 
fists, gave him such a pounding as nearly kill- 
ed the man, before the enraged Yankee could 



45 

be torn loose from his prey, which, as they ef- 
fected, rent tlie ear of tlie fellow to strings. 

But as mii^lit be expected, the wife of our 
hero, her mother, and even the Chief himself, 
followed him quite to Montreal, with the hope 
ofprocurinja: his release, by showin<j^ that tlie 
prisoner, according to an ancient Indian cus- 
tom, had become one of their race. All this, 
however, was to no purpose; the commandant 
remauied inexorable. 

As soon as the light was over, they took from 
him the insignia of his nobility among the In- 
dians, and gave them to Estaloec. They now 
tied Hubbell's hands behind him, and led him 
oflf to (he prison; the Indian girl following as 
far as she could, weeping piteously. On com- 
ing to the door, she sprang round his neck, and 
could scarcely be separated from him. This 
was an effecting sight, as even her mother 
wrung her hands for grief and anger, as she 
looked upon the young white man as her real 
son. On parting, he tore from his head a hand- 
ful of its locks, as his hands were now untied, 
and g-ave them to his wife as a remembrancer, 
when with a parting kiss he was separated from 
his sobbing bride, to see her, in all probability, 
no more. 

Hubbell was confined in this place but a few 
days, when, with many other fellow sufferers, 
he was put on board a prison-ship and sent to 
Quebec ; where they were shut up in close quar- 
ters, in the upper barraclcs of that city, under 
bars and bolts, prisoners of war. 

A month or so had passed away in this con- 
dition, when Hubbell and his companions, nine 
in number, were taken out of prison and set to 
work in a certain place, where it was impossi- 
ble to escape without assistance. The work 
they were to perform was the making of posts 
for fence; probably hired of the commandant to 
do this labor, by some farmer — and thus pris- 
oners of war were speculated uiion, by com- 
pelling them to work like so many slaves. Du- 
ring the hours of labor, the prisoners were not 
idle in devising modes of escape, notwithstand- 
ing the sentinel was always in sight, and most 
of the time in hearing. 

Several weeks had passed away, and as there 
appeared no symptoms of discontent among (he 
prisoners, or designs of trying to get away, the 
sentinel became considerably remiss in his du- 
ty, indulging in his own ways, while he was 
supposed to be faithfully guarding the prison- 
ers. 

At this time there were in Quebec a great 
many Frenchmen, who were friendly to the 
American Revolution,and of course to the Ame- 
rican prisoners in Canada. That the Ameri- 
cans were thus employed in that particular 
place, soon became known to the French in 
Quebec, Avho, after consulting on the sul)ject 
of aiding the prisoners to escape, set a man to 
watch a favorable opportunity of commucicat- 
ing with them in the absence of the sentinel. 
It was just along the shore of the St. Lawrence 
where they were at work, and as the river was 
deep and wide, there was no fear of the prison- 
ers attempting to swim off, especially as the 
sentinel was often in sight; and even if there 



^46 

had been no sentinel, the tiling was wholly im- 
possible. 

But the guard soon became remiss, which 
was noticed for some lime by (lie man who had 
been set to watch, and to communicate, if pos- 
sible, with the Americans. This was a 
French fisherman, and the appearance of 
his canoe, off and on, along the shore, was a 
matter of no suspicion. This canoe man now 
naiTowly watched tiie movements of (he senti- 
nel, and soon found (hat at a certain time each 
day, immediately after the dining hour, the 
man went his way, and did not return but once 
during the whole afternoon. At the time the 
fisherman intended to make his first attempt to 
talk with the nine prisoners, he had purposely al- 
tered his position, and paddled out of the range 
of a view of them. But the instant the time of (he 
sentinel's afternoon visit had gone by, (he ca- 
noe-man slowly dipped his paddle in the water 
and was gliding imperceptibly toward the de- 
sired position. He had but touched the shore, 
pushing his canoe into a little ravine, occasion- 
ed by a run of water into (he St. Lawrence, 
when the manoeuvre was seen by the prisoners. 

They kept on at their work, while the man 
laying down on his helly crept slowly toward 
the men as they were at work. As soon as he 
saw that he was near enough to speak to them, 
he said in a low voice, " God bless your noble 
hearts, is it your wish to escape?" One of (he 
men replied without looking that way, and said, 
" God be praised that we liave found a friend, 
who dare to ask us such a question: It is our 
ardent desire to escape." "Then it shall be 
done, as the means are ready. When shall I 
come to take you oif.^" " As soon as the sen- 
tinel has been with us the last time this after- 
noon, which will be at the hour of five o'clock." 

The fisherman said no more, but slid to his 
canoe as he came, and disappeared. At the 
appointed moment the guard was with the pri- 
soners, and observing that they had worked 
well, he praised (hem much, adding that he 
hojied they would not be such fools as to labor 
in that way much longer, as he could not be- 
lieve but they would ere long be wise enough 
to enlist in the king's service. To this thev 
replied that they had already been thinking of 
doing so, as what odds would it make to them 
a hundred years hence wliether America should 
become independent or not. These encourag- 
ing remarks brought on a long string of curses 
against Washington and his rebels, while he 
magnified the glory of king George beyond all 
bounds, promising the prisoners great advan- 
tages if they would but enlist in the royal army. 
To all this they listened with great attention 
and sobriety of countenance. 

The sentinel now went his way, saying as he 
left them, (hat they must not labor too hard, 
and (hat they could go to their quarters when 
they got ready. Twenty minutes or so were 
allowed to pass by, while (hey kept on with 
their work, ere the canoe man made his ap- 
pearance again, running his craft into (he same 
ravine. In a moment they dropped (heir tools 
and darted with (he speed of so many arrows 
to tlie edge of the water, leaped into the canoe 



47 



48 



and were oflf. In order to screen the fisherrhan 
from all suspicion, the men laid flat down on 
the bottom of the canoe, while the wily French- 
man covered them over with some old canvass 
he had in his boat. Being thus secured the he- 
ro of their escape paddled leisurely away, bear- 
ing the Americans, whose hearts could almost 
be heard to beat on the bottom of the canqe, 
straight to the American side of the St. Law- 
rence. 

Prior to this there had been a meeting of a 
few of the more wealthy Frenchmen, who had 
provided them with guns, ammunition, knap- 
sacks, knives, hatchets, each a tinder box, and 
as much provision as they could carry, besides 
such clothing as they needed, a compass, and 
fishing lines and hooks; so that in case their 
ammunition should fail, they might resort to 
the waters of such streams and lakes, as might 
fall in their way, to prevent starvation. Thus 
provided for they had nothing to do but to be 
happy an hour or two with their deliverers, and 
away, though late in the fore part of the night 
to the wilderness. The course they took was to- 
v/ard whatis now called, as well as then, the Up- 
per Cawas country, in the northern parts of the 
state of Maine. There was a man among Iheir 
number who said he knew the way through, on 
which account they set otF without fear into the 
depths of the woods, though nearly the hour of 
midnight, intending to travel till morning, as 
they very much feared a pursuit of the Indians, 
knowing the moment it should be found they 
were missing, these hounds of the British Avould 
be let loose on their trail. 

By the time daylight appeared, they had pro- 
gressed some six or eight miles into the forest 
when they came to a halt, took their breakfast, 
lay down and slept awhile, then pursued their 
journey, making as little noise as possible in 
its prosecution. 

Without delaying the narrative to relate eve- 
ry particular incident which befel them on their 
way, we shall pass over the interim of three 
weeks, toward the close of which Ihey had be- 
come lost. This was occasioned by the com- 
pas being wet in the long rains that fell, which 
had rusted the needle so that it would not tra- 
verse. By this time their ammunition began 
to grow short, as they had been but scantily 
furnished at tlie outset, and besides they were a 
little profuse in its expenditure, wherefore they 
began to be alarmed, lest they should never 
find their way through, and finally starve in the 
woods. On these accounts six of the nine men 
came to a resolution to return, and endeavor to 
find their way back to Quebec and give them- 
selves up to the enemy, but were heard of no 
more. 

Hubbell was not of the number; his re- 
solution to escape could not be overcome by 
the fear of dying in the woods. Being now 
left with but two of his fellows, and evidently 
lost, they pushed on in the direction which 
seemed to be the right one, while the others did 
the same, though taking an opposite course, and 
to meet no more. 

They had traveled on several days after (he 
separation, feeling gloomy and dejected, as 



Uieir powder had become alarmingly short, and 
hunger had begun to make its imoads on their 
happiness. In this state of feeling, while grop- 
ing their way slowly through the bushes, in all 
the uncertainty of bewildered minds, they heard 
in a deep hollow below them, the tread of some 
heavy anmial. In a moment they dropt to the 
ground, and in a listening postuie recognized 
the same sounds again. Hubbell now crept 
like a cat with his gun in his hand, near and 
nearer to the place from whence the rustling of 
the leaves and steps of some creature had come, 
and soon got his eye on a noble Moose, a crea- 
ture much larger than a middling sized horse, 
having immense palmleaved horns, and feet 
cloven like the ox, an animal which may well 
be termed the king of the deer, or elk species. 
At this discovery the pulse of Hubbell rose full 
50 per cent, hoping he might bring the creature 
down by a shot, as by this means a supply of 
provisions would be secured for several days. 
He now placed his gun across the limb of a 
tree, took a steady aim at the heart of the 
moose, as the creature stood with one of its sides 
towards liiin, touched the trigger of his piece, 
when the animal droped to its knees, gave a 
flounder forward, accompanied with one loud 
bawl resembling an ox when led to the slaugh- 
ter, and fell dead where it was. In a moment 
his two friends were at his side, when there was 
great joy among the three wanderers. On dress- 
ing the moose they found the ball had passed 
directly through the creature's heart; a noble 
shot, as it was full twelve rods distant, with the 
ditficulty of considerable underbrush to inter- 
cept the ball. 

Here they built a fire and broiled of the flesh 
as much as they would, remaining the rest of the 
day on the spot, as well as during the night' 
It was toAvard evening when this took place, 
and by the time they had taken their supper the 
sun had gose down, when it was soon daik there 
in the woods. They now set to fixing a place 
to sleep in, by driving down two forked posts 
into the grcund and laying a pole from one to 
the other, over which they spread bark, the 
boughs of tree tops and brush, placing pretty 

SiqX 'SIBUITUT! p^]AV SB 'UIBI aij) ^SUIbSb ]18A\ su 

aouajap b .SupiBui 'uMop X|uijy luaq; p|oi{ oj sb 
OS 'qsnjqgiu JO uia^)oq aqi ssojob sjio^s /ab31{ 
was their manner every night. They had scarce- 
ly laid down in their hunter's bed, when the 
howl of the wolf as well as the scream of the 
panther was heard in most fearful proximity to 
their little camp, or brush-heap house; and had 
they not frequently let off their guns, they wculd 
have made havoc with the moose meat before 
morning, as they smelt the blood. 

The firing of their guns was a waste of their 
powder, which they deeply regretted, but as it 
was necessary there was no other alternative. 
When the morning came they cut away as 
much of the moose as they could carry, having 
sprinkled it with salt which they had brought 
with them, as well as smoked it awhile over 
their fire. Thus furnished they set off a gain 
with renewed zeal, leaving the residue of the 
animal for the wolves and panthers to banquet 
on as best they could agree among themselves. 



49 



50 



Several days had now passed by since the 
adventure of the moose-shot, yet no signs of 
inhabitants appeared, and their supply of food 
was now expended again, yet they pressed on 
not knowing where they were, being conii)lete- 
ly lost and bewildered, killing such small game 
as fell in their way. 

But at length the last charge of powder was 
placed in the gun, and the last ball ready to be 
tired at any creature which migiit come near 
enough to be hit. In (his condition they still 
rambled onward, till very weak from hunger, 
near the close of a certain day, all of a sudden, 
they heard the rushing of some animal coming 
down the side of a mountain on a full run. 
They stood still and soon saw that it was a deer, 
in rapid flight as if chased by a wolf, or had 
been frightened. It was the gun of Hubbell 
which contained the last shot, who as the deer 
was bounding through the woods, took aim, 
but the ball struck a limb of a tree, and turning 
it aside, missed its mark, while the deer went 
on. This shot was their last hope, unless they 
could fall in with some stream, lake or pond in 
which to catch tish; but as yet they had found 
none of any size. Two days after this, as they 
were wandering along, eating such buds, leaves, 
and barks as they could find, they heard the 
yelp of a dog at some distance, and in a mi- 
nute or so the animal came up, seeming over- 
joyed at falling in with them. 

On this discovery, they had not a doubt but 
they should soon find the dog's owner, and 
thus be conducted to some human habitation. 
Accordingly they shouted, hallooed and scream- 
ed, but there came no response. This they 
continued to do the remaining part of the day, 
from time to time, but without making any dis- 
covery, relative to the dog's master, on which 
account they concluded the animal was lost as 
well as themselves. On the coming of night, 
and being faint and ravenous, they could not 
refrain from killing the poor animal, and of 
dressing it for their supper, although it had tak- 
en refuge under their protection; which dis- 
courtesy nothing but extreme hunger could 
very well excuse, as the similarity between 
the dog's condition, and that of the three men, 
was very similar, all being lost, and nearly 
starved to death. 

This provision served them a couple of days, 
during which time they pushed on hard, aiming 
to get into the upper Caivas country, where 
they knew there were inhabitants, though ex- 
tremely few, who lived by hunting in that vast 
region of wilderness. But in this, as yet, they 
were disappointed still, and soon found them- 
selves sulking again with hunger and fatigue ; 
compelling them to resort to ihe browse of the 
trees, and the herbage of the ground, while 
they still continued to pass on. 

Over mountain eraigs and vallies deep, 
With hiiriL'er keen, and ressilesg sleep. 
Still hoping, as the wilds they cross'd, 
They soon should see the lov'd Cawas. 

In this condition they wandered on for seve- 
ral days longer, sinking more and more, as 
such roots, buds and leaves as grew in that 
cold spruce and hemlock country, were not 



foand in suflicient quantities to prevent the ap- 
proach of extreme famine, and ot final deativ. 
They now soon became so weak and feeble 
that they could cany their gims no farther, and 
as they were of no use, they, having found a 
tree that was hollow, with an opening on one 
side, placed them within it, where, doubt- 
less, the guns are remaining to this day; as 
much of that great wilderness is, as it was, and 
will be to the end of time, a wild mountainous, 
cold and dreary region. 

In a day or two after this, carrying nothing 
in their hands but their hatchets, they came to 
a small but rapid sti-eam of water, holding 
themselves up, as they groped along, by the 
bushes and small trees. This stream they Avould 
have crossed, but as it was rapid, though not 
deep, they dared not undertake it, lest they 
might fall down, and thus terminate their lives 
by drowning. On this account they concluded 
to follow on up the brook, hoping to find a more 
narrow place, or perhaps a fallen tree, where 
they could get over. But as they did not find 
any such place, and still continuing to go on 
up the stream, they came, ere they were aware 
of it to the origin of this brook, wliich was a 
small, deep lake, some twenty acres in size, 
surrounded by high rocks and ledges, with as- 
cending ground beyond. Here, as they found 
no place where they could cross the brook, they 
crawled in beneath an over hanging cleft, quite 
near the edge of the lake, where thej' lay dowa 
to die, as they had no further hopes of ever get- 
ting through to the Cawas coimtry, nor of find- 
ing any thing more to eat. 

But in this last idea, where all hope seemed 
to have forever forsaken them, they were hap- 
pily mistaken; for as they lay there on the 
ground, bemoaning their condition, they soon 
discovered that the water along the shore was 
alive with green frogs, of the largest sizes. In 
a moment their strength seemed renewed, and 
prompted by (he fierceness of hunger, they laid 
hold on some sticks of (he water beach, grow- 
ing just by (hem, and cutting each of them a 
long rod, (hey crept slily to the brink of the wa- 
ter, where, among the weeds and grass of the 
shore, they soon siiffened a dozen or two of (he 
frogs, so that they got hold of them with their 
hands. 

Their next business was to raise a fire, which 
was easily etfected, by means of their tinder- 
boxes; and gathering dry limbs and brush, 
they soon had a fire roaring (here beneath the 
mountain. In a trice, their frogs were dressed 
as they had seen (hem dressed by the French 
people, cutting off and reserving only (he hind- 
er parts; these having sprinkled with salt, 
which they still had in their empty packs and 
pockets, and placing them on (he poin(s of 
sharpened s(icks, (hey soon had cooked a meal 
of the most delicious kind. 

On examining (he lake and characler of the 
water, by casting a look over i(s surface, they 
weie at once almost Jissured (hat it must con- 
tain fish; if so, then their fortunes were made, 
as (hey had hooks and linos of (he best descrip- 
tion in their pockets. Immediately, they cut 
themselves poles from the thicket, fastened the 



51 



62 



lines thereon, and baiting the liooks with pieces 
of the frogs, they cast them far out into the ♦ 
deep water, when lo, the bait had scarcely be- 
gan to sink below the surface, when the water 
was seen to be violently and suddenly agitated, 
and their hooks taken swiftly down into its 
depths. As was natural, they gave each of 
them a pull upward, and to their great joy each 
of them had on his hooka rousing salmon trout. 
In a short time they had caught far more than 
they needed. These they set to and dressed, 
cooking them by the fire. 

They now had an abundance of this most de- 
licious kind of food, by which means they ra{)- 
idly gained strength, having water to drink at 
hand of the sweetest description. In tliis posi- 
tion they remained eleven days; during which 
time they had caught and dried in tlie smoke, 
as much salmon trout as would sustain them in 
another attempt to find their way to the Cawas 
country. 

But to return for a moment in the narrative. 
As soon as the British had found that the nine 
prisoners were missing, every method to disco- 
ver where they weie was set on foot, as they 
believed they must be secreted in the city, by 
the aid of friends, and unfaithful subjects of the 
crown; and they had no doubt but these were 
the French. But as they could not be found, 
the Indians were sent out after them ; having 
the promise of a golden guinea for every man 
they should catch and bring in alive. The In- 
dians knew well enough that the Yankees must 
have some way got across the St. Lawrence, 
and made off toward the states, and according- 
ly a small party of five of the natives ascended 
the outlet of the lake Memphremagog, which 
empties into the St. Lawrence from the south, 
or highlands between Lower Canada and the 
.state of Maine ; and coasting along the shores 
of this lake, they entered the little stream of 
which we have spoken, running out of the small 
lake where the fugitives were then catching 
trout and getting ready for another attempt to 
reach their country. On coming to this small 
run, they left their canoe, and ascended it on 
foot, carefully looking as they went, both for 
game and the ninaway white men. 

They eoon fell in with the signs that some- 
body had paesed along up this brook, which 
was but a mile or so in length. Carefully fol- 
lowing on, they came to the little lake which 
was the real head waters of the great Memphre- 
magog, as well as the small river running out 
of it into the St. Lawrence. 

It was not long after tliey had come to this 
lake, where these Indians had often been be- 
fore, when they found the very spot where the 
white men had their camp, and where their 
dried fish was hanging, but there was nobody 
there. In a few moments, liowever, the wary 
eyes of the Indians, who were silent as the grave, 
got sight of the owners of the camp, who were 
out a fishing, and darting off into a tliicket, 
awaited their return. But as they did not come 
as soon as they desired, for the Indians were 
very hungry, one of them set up a squalling, 
like a wild-cat, or a young panther. This ma- 
,.noeuvre alarmed the fishermen for the safety of 



Iheir dried salmon, as the creature appeared to 
be exactly where their camp was . According- 
ly they hastened to the spot, where, instead of 
finding a wild-cat, they found themselves in the 
power of five armed Indians, who cried out, in 
broken English, " you prisoner , you go back 
Quebec." 

At this awful discovery, and dreadful an- 
nouncement, their hearts sunk within them; as 
they had much rather have met a panther in 
their camp than these horrible Indians. They 
did their best to persuade the savages to pilot 
them through the woods to some settlement, 
where they promised to rev/ard them far more 
liberally than the British had promised if they 
brought the runaAvays to Quebec. Among the 
number there was one Indian who told Hubbell, 
apart from the rest, that if he did not fear the 
other Indians who were with liim, he would 
willingly take him through to the Cawas settle- 
ments, as it was not more than fifteen miles to 
a place where white men lived. 

The Indians now took all their dried trout, 
as well as tlie owners, and passing down the 
brook, placed them in the canoe, and set out 
on their return. In this attempt, they were all 
in great danger of being lost on the lake, from 
the violence of the winds and great rains which 
fell upon them during the passage; but as the 
Indians managed to hug the shore pretty close- 
ly, they made out to get safely along, and pas- 
sing down the outlet, they entered the St. Law- 
rence, and so to Fort Chamblce, Avhere the 
prisoners were given over to the military. 

Here they were put into the custody of one 
Sargent Bennet, who was a first cousin of Hub- 
bell, and being a tory, had joined the British, 
and then belonged to a body of troops called 
the Queen's Rangers. This man Bennet, as 
singular as it may appear, was very cruel to his 
cousin Hubbell, calling him and the two men 
who were with him, by all kinds of low and de- 
grading names, showing how much worse an 
apostate from his country in time of war and 
danger is, than are the citizens of an opposing 
power; and all from the servile hope of ap- 
plause and reward; a principle far enough re- 
moved from true patriotism. 

Tills Bennet Avent so far in his mockeries 
and cruelty, on their way down from Chamblee 
to Quebec, as to put irons on the hands of his 
cousin and the two others, merely because they 
were too weak, from their late sufferings, to 
aid in rowing the boat. He used toward them 
much taunting language, when they replied to 
his orders that they were unable. He would 
say that perhaps they were gentlemen, and far 
too delicate to labor; that their hands were too 
soft to touch an oar, and that perhaps ruffles, 
meaning handcuffs, would please them better. 
Accordingly, in order to treat them as their 
dignity required, he actually put irons on their 
hands and feet. 

In this condition, Bennet carried them to 
Quebec, and gave them over to one Captain 
Prentice, a very hiunane and excellent charac- 
ter, though exceedingly rough in manners. 
This captain swore terribly at Bennet, for his 
having ironed the poor starved %vretches, and 



53 



54 



compelled him to take oflf the shackles and 
hand-cufils with his own hands, as in llic case 
he did not obey, they should be put on his own 
abominable limbs. Thus they had, in a meas- 
ure, their revenge upon the unfeeling fool, in 
seeing him deeply niortitied, when he expected 
praise. 

They were now put in prison, but as they 
were well treated, they soon recruited and re- 
covered their health. In this condition, Hub- 
bell, with many others, remained two years, 
having only a back yard behind the prison to 
exercise in. Here they passed away their time 
in listlessness, telling stories, singing songs, 
and in acting over all the nonsense they could 
think of or invent. It is true they had their 
times of deep melancholy, on account of their 
country, as well as for their own personal lib- 
erty; hoping, waiting and despairing, ahernate- 

Now when two years had been nearly con- 
sumed, there happened to be appointed a wo- 
man whom they called High Dutch Bet, a ve- 
ry handsome German girl, to sweep and keep 
clean the rooms of the prison, as well as to do 
the washing of the prisoners. It also happened 
that this woman had a §uitor, a British soldier, 
who was cultivating her good wishes toward 
liimself, as w as supposed, with a view to mar- 
riage. This man, the British soldier, wishing 
to have the friendship and countenance of the 
prisoners, in his visits to High Dutch Bet, as it 
was somewhat difficult to avoid their knowledge 
of his pui'poses, he sometimes brought a bottle 
of spirits, not only to regale himself and sweet- 
heart, but the inmates of the prison also. In 
this way he bribed them to keep the subject of 
his visits a secret from the officers of the j«l, 
who had they known it, would doubtless have 
cut the courtship short, or at least that part of 
it which sometimes took place in the precincts 
of the house of durance vile. 

Matters were in this condition, when on a 
certain day, towards night, Hubbell was walk- 
ing in the said rearward court, while High 
Dutch Bet was busy here and there with her 
work, when there was heard a low voice calling 
the woman, " Betsy, Betsy, open the gate, 
open the gate; come quick now." But as 
Hubbell was in hearing of all this, the woman 
felt her delicacies about letting her lover in 
just then ; and to make believe that she had no 
knowledge of what the man wanted, said, 
" Mishter Happies, do runs to dat cates, and 
shce vat it ish dat shorn potty vants; and dakes 
dish keys mit you, and make believes to open de 
cates — but den you mush not do dat — oh nane, 
not vor de'toorlds; only make p'lieve, and say 
dat Petsey ish not dare, den comes mit de keys 
right aioay loid it to me, Mishter Hupples." 
" Oh, yes, madam, with all my heart," said 
Hubbell, " it shall be done." 

At this gate, which was behind the prison, 
and close to the brink of the waters of (he St. 
Lawrence, there was stationed no sentinel, as 
it was a gate of great strength, and so near the 
deep waters of the river, it was thought not ne- 
cessary. The inside of the gate was fastened 
with a powerful padlock, the key of which was 



entrusted to High Dutch Betsy. Hubbell re- 
ceived the key, saying, " No, no. Mistress 
Betsy," in the blandest tone possible for him 
to assume, " I icon't let him." On receiving 
the key, the fatal insirument of the prisoner's 
conflncini-nt, the thought, like aj flash of 
liglitning, passed the mind of tliis ready willed 
man, that he would now prepare a way for his 
own and his fellow prisoners' escape, if possi- 
ble, by actually unlocking the gale, and of 
leaving it thus. Hubbell went to the gate, and 
after fumbling awhile, as if he was trying to 
unlock it, cried out to the person on the out- 
side that the lock was out of order, and that he 
could not get it open. 

Here the lover of Betsy found that he was 
like to be disappointed ; and not understanding 
how the key came in the possession of a man, 
instead of Betsey, made off with himself, sup- 
posing that the man was the keeper of the pri- 
son, or some one he had entrusted with it. Our 
hero now returned the key with all honesty to 
Betsy, saying that he giiessed the fellow was 
cheated lor once, any how. "Dat ish coot, 
Mishter Happies, dat ish werry coot; let hims 
go to de depples mjt Jmnselluff." 

Hubbell now with a light step, and a heart 
which beat rapidly, went to his room; as the 
hour for calling the prisoners' roll, and for 
locking up for the night was near. When this 
had been accomplished, and the time for re- 
tiring to rest had come, and all was still, Hub- 
bell, with a serious and determined counte- 
nance, said to his fellows of the prison, " gen- 
tlemen, I have something to' communicate, 
whieh relates to our happiness, in offering us 
a chance of escape from this infernal abode, 
and the clutches of the red coats." Here he 
recited his adventure with High Dutch Bet, as 
above, adding, " and now, my good fellows, 
who among you will assist in breaking down 
that door, with the view of getting out and go- 
ing to our own country and dear friends :" 

This news, to some of their number, was of 
very joyful import, while to others, it was a 
matter of dread and terror, as they feared the 
failure of the attempt, and might subject (hem 
to punishment. On this account, there were 
found but six out of thirty, who dare undertake 
it. When the six had pledged their word, each 
to the other, to go ahead with the enterprise, 
the query was, how they could get the door 
open without tools. 

But this difficulty was soon mastered, as with 
an old case-knife they commenced digging out 
the bar of iron, which supported the chimney, 
over the fire-place of the room where they were, 
and soon effected their purpose. With (his in- 
strument they prycd the posts to which the 
door was fastened, by lock and hinges, out of 
the wall, so that it fell with a crash, making far 
more noise than they intended it should, thoug-ii 
they caught hold of" it as it was falling. This 
occasioned the guard below to awake, and to 

cry out, "silence there, you d d rebels, or 

you shall be put in irons .'" 

On hearing this, the six confederates stood 
aghast; but as the sound of footsteps ascending 
the stairway fell not on their ears, they soou 



55 



took hope a^aiii. But deeming it prudent, 
they waited a full hour, giving time for the 
sleepy guard to resume their slumbers, ere they 
again attempted to go on with their designs. 
Being well assured that the somniferous god 
had regained his rule, in relation to the senti- 
nels below, they began anew to bestir them- 
selves, respecting their contemplated escape 
from Canada. 

Their next move was to uncord one of their 
beds, for the sake of the rope, which, as they 
now had free access to the upper hall of the 
stair^vay, they made fast to the bannister, and 
lining the window that lighted the place, they 
cast the other end of the bed-cord out into the 
court-yard below. By this means it was but a 
minute or two ere the six adventurers were all 
landed on the terra firma of the common earth. 
" To the gate, my boys," whispered Hubbell, 
who was the captain in this affair, " as disco- 
very at this point of our history will prove ex- 
tremely annoying to our present calculations." 
In a moment they were there, and finding it as 
Hubbell had reported, unlocked, and ready to 
open for their departure, they slid out as readi- 
ly as so much quicksilver would have descend- 
ed on an inclined plane, shutting the gate after 
them as they would a door to a house in stormy 
weather, merely to show their good breeding, 
and that they had been used to doors in their 
fathers' houses. 

Here they found themselves close to the edge 
of the river, with no means of escape, either 
across, up or down the St. Lawrence, as there 
was no boat in sight, except the glimpse of one 
they hoped they saw floating at the stern of a 
man of war some twenty rods out in the stream. 
Here their hearts began to fail them, as they 
were groping about between the wall and the 
river, a space scarcely wide enough for a man 
to turn round upon^ and especially at a time 
when they could barely see their hands before 
them, landward, and but a little more when 
they looked out on the waters. This was a pre- 
dicament of absolute despair. They saw no 
alternative, but to return to the prison to be 
laughed at, and to be punished in the morning 
for breaking down the door of the jail and at- 
tempting to escape. 

But in the midst of this distressing dilemma 
the spirit of Hubbell was not thus to be baffled, 
who, to the surprise of the rest of his fellows, 
began to strip off his clothes, although it was 
cold, as it was the month of November, when 
the snow begins to fall in Canada, and stepping 
silently into the water, he laid his breast to the 
waves of the St. Lawrence, and swam out to 
the man of war. Whether there was a sentinel 
on the deck of the ship or not, he was not dis- 
tinguished, for so silently did he glide through 
the waters, that even his trembling companions 
on shore did not discern whether he had sunk 
or was afloat on the tide; and consequently 
there was no stir occasioned by his movements 
on board the vessel. On coming along side of 
the boat, he soon found the painter which fast- 
ened it to the ship, and loosening it, he took 
the rope (or painter) between his teeth, and 
swam safely to the shore. 



56 

The crafl proved to be of considerable size, 
having two small masts, and was used by the 
crew of the ship as a convenient vehicle for the 
transportation of light articles and of passen- 
gers to and from the ship and the shore. Hav- 
ing got into the boat, they flung abroad her 
sails, and giving her a proper direction by 
means of the helm, they were soon far enough 
below the city. Having come ashore at a 
place where some French fishermen lived, they 
run the craft into a hidden cove, which put up 
some way from the river into the country, and 
there made her fast to the roots of some trees 
growing at the place. 

Here it soon became known that the jail had 
been broken, and that some of the Yankee pri- 
soners ha I made their escape, and were then 
on shore in the cove. This news soon brought 
a number of the French to the spot, who were 
their friends, and who immediately set about 
procuring the runaways a change of clothes, as 
well as provisions, to aid them in their desire 
to escape down the river. In addition to this, 
they furnished them with four long sweeps, or 
oars, so that if becalmed, they might help 
themselves to get ashore, if pursued. 

All things being ready, the six men launch- 
ed away, besides one woman, whom Hubbell 
supposed to be the wife of one of their number, 
a Capt. William Stewart, of the island of Mar- 
tha's Vineyard, but as was afterwards ascer- 
tained to have been the wife of a French fish- 
erman, whom this Stewart had seduced, in the 
absence of her husband on a fishing trip to the 
banks of Newfoundland. 

This Stewart was not a prisoner of war, but 
had been put in jail with the Yankee captives, 
for debt only, as he also was a Yankee. Th6 
fisherman's wife was an uncommon handsome 
woman, and withal had in her keeping all the 
money her husband had on earth. Stewart hav- 
ing won her affections became possessed of thd 
money, which was in gold, as well as of her 
person, and the amount the household goods 
sold for, and was making off by means of this 
opportunity, to go to Halifax, with the view of 
going into trade there, by the aid of his ill-got- 
ten gain. In the mean time, the honest fisher- 
man arrived in Quebec, and burning with de- 
sire, made haste to his house for love of his 
wife; but found that silence reigned where he 
expected joy and gladness, and withal that his 
house was empty. The neighbors told him 
who had done it, and that his wife was gone 
with Stewart; whereupon the poor man fell in- 
to fits, and for a season lost his senses; but 
whose story we leave for a short time, and re- 
turn to that of Hubbell and his companions. 

It was not till about ten o'clock in the morn- 
ing, when the boat of the man of war was miss- 
ed from the ship. Hereupon a search was'com- 
menced all along the shore, and the wharves of 
the city, the captain of the vessel supposing 
that some fisherman had stolen, or had borrow- 
ed the craft. But directlv it was known to the 
garrison that the prison had been broken, and 
that a number of the prisoners had fled, and 
doubtless as was conjectured, had taken the 
boat with them. On this persuasion, the sloop 



57 

Harlequin, a swift sailing vessel, was sent in 
chase of the fugitives, for it haidbeen ascertain- 
ed that tJie runaway rebels had tied down the 
St. Lawrence. But as it happened that day 
there was a fine wind blowing from the west, 
before which the shallop scudded away, like a 
swallow on the brow of a tempest, ever and 
anon casting an eye to the windward in search 
of the pursuer, but saw it not. In the mean 
time, the glass of the look out man, from 
the mast liead of the Harlequin was peer- 
ing along tlie deep, to get siglit of the fugi- 
tives, as one would look for a floating egg- 
shell, on the waves. The heavens had more 
than half dismissed her glory in the going down 
of the sun, and at the same time a tempest from 
the west came booming up, when the dippings 
of the scudding smack were taken in the glass 
of tlie look out from the rattlings of the Harle- 
quin. 

On this discovery the sloop let off a heavy 
gun, the roar of which leaping from billow to 
billow, passed heavily over the little boat, dic- 
ing away in the distance . This was done to 
intimidate the forlorn inmates of the shallop, 
but without effect, as she still held on her way, 
clinging nearer and still nearer to the southern 
shore of the St. Lawrence. By this time the 
sun had gone down, but the tempest had risen 
higher and was coming rapidly on, while dark- 
ness was covering the deep, shrouding the pur- 
suer and the pursued in its rayless folds. By 
this means the Harlequin lost sight of her ob- 
ject, and passing on down the river they were 
seen no more. 

But the tempest had now become a furious 
gale mingled with sleet and snow, tumbling 
the waters into fearful billows, so that it was 
expected by the inmates of the boat that she 
would upset before they could reach the land. 
Several of the men, including the woman and 
her lover, betook themselves to prayer, verily 
believing that their end had come and that they 
should never reach the shore. But contrary to 
all expectations, in a very short time in the 
midst of the storm and the darkness of the 
night they drove ashore. Now there was joy 
among them, and seeing a light not far off, one 
of the party felt his way toward it, and halloo- 
ing with all his might soon brought a man to 
him from the house he was approaching. As 
was natural, the man who had a lanthorn with 
him had many questions to ask, as who he was 
and from whence thej'^ had come, while he held 
the light to the face of the dripping stranger, 
as they were nearing the boat now made fast to 
the shore. Here, by enquiries made of the 
man with the lanthorn, they soon found them- 
selves within the power of the enemy, for they 
had been driven into a harbor, the name of 
which Hubbell, as he is now very aged, could 
not remember, where the English had a small 
garrison. 

On making this most horrid discovery all 
hopes of escape forsook them, as they expect- 
ed to be put in irons and sent again 'to Que- 
bec — Stewart, his lady-love, and all. But 
■w-hen the commandant of the place came to 
learn that the strangers had broken jail at 



5a 

Quebec, and that they had stolen the beauti- 
ful barge or boat from a man of war, worth at 
least four hundred dollars, instead of proceed- 
ing to put ihem in irons made them a proposi- 
tion of aiding them to escape. The proposi- 
tion was as follows: that if Hubbell, v/ho act- 
ed as captain, would give him the boat, that 
he on his part would give him twenty-live dol- 
lars, and pilot him and his men in another boat 
still farther down the St. Lawrence, to a small 
place called Muttias, on the south side of the 
river, which proposition it is almost useless to 
say, was most readily accepted. 

From this transaction it was far more evi- 
dent that the king's ofiicers were more patriot- 
ic for their pockets than for the success of the 
war, at least at that post or with that com- 
mandant. There were but few men stationed 
there, five or six only, who it is likely shared 
the booty among themselves, caring little what 
should become of the Yankee runaways. 

But before we proceed farther with the story 
of Hubbell and his fellows, it may be the read- 
er would like to know what became of Stewart 
and the fisherman's beauliful wife. As soon 
as it was morning after their being driven on 
shore at the fort, it turned out that the lady was 
known to the officer, as well as her husband. 
In consequence of this, the money, as well as 
the runaway wife were taken from Stewart, 
under the pretext of sending both her and the 
gold back again to Quebec, to the lawful 
owner. But the man who could detain the 
property of his country and appropriate it to 
his own use, could not be expected to be quite 
so virtuous as honestly to send a young and 
handsome woman with some six hundred dollars 
in gold again to the poor fisherman, Scot free. 
Accordingly, as it was afterwards heard from 
a man who deserted from that very post, that 
the very officer who had bought the shallop 
from Hubbell, kept the woman, her gold and 
all, and fled to some unknown part in the very 
boat he bought. It was necessary Ue should 
do this, as there was a strong probability of his 
being detected and brought to punishment for 
his unfaithfulness in the king's affairs. 

As to the fate of Stewart, it was surmised 
that foul play had placed him where he could 
never relate what he knew against the officer, 
respecting the boat, the woman, and the gold. 
Stewart's fate Avas a fate he richly deserved. 
That Stewart was so bad a man was unknown 
to Hubbell, although he had been in jail with 
him and the others some time for debts he owed 
in Quebec. But in the affair, and at the place 
above alluded to, his character came out, and 
far worse than was suspected; for in the fray, 
in taking the money from Stewart, which had 
to be done by force, Hubbell lending a hand, 
it came out that Stewart's plan was to have be- 
trayed and given up Hubbell and his fellows to 
the first British vessel they should meet with in 
going down the St. Lawrence, in expectation 
of reward — so thoroughly was this man steeped 
in his wicked and unprincipled ways, richly de- 
serving all that was believed to have happened 
to him. 

But to return to Hubbell's narrative. The 



59' 

officer of the little fort proceeded to do as he 
had agreed — which was to send them furthd* 
down the coast of the St. Lawrence to the place 
called Mattias, situated on the southern sliore 
of that river. 

But in this he proved partly false, as when 
the boat had run half the way or thereabouts, 
the men were put on shore at a place where all 
was wilderness, there being no habitation of 
man as far as the eye could range along the 
shore. Hubbell and his fellows, four in num- 
ber besides himself, remonstrated against this 
breach of faith But they were told that such 
were their orders, as they did not consider it 
safe to be seen landing men at Mattias, — for 
which they might, ere long, be compelled to 
give an unwilling account. They now disem- 
barked, having theirguns, ammunition, knives, 
hatchets, &c., which was given them by the 
iriendly French fishemnan at Quebec, as well 
as a suit of common clothes, such as the French 
of the poorer class wore at that time. Thus 
equipped, they put off into the woods, aiming 
to arrive at the place called Mattias, a kind of 
neutral ground between the contending powers. 

It was nearly night when they were thus set 
ashore, and going a little way into the woods 
they had the good luck to kill a deer and seve- 
ral fmrtridges. They camped down for the night, 
building themselves a hut of poles stuck in the 
ground, and covered over wilh boughs of the 
hemlock and pine, so that they were screened 
from the winds and weather quite comfortably. 
Here they cooked their evening meal, consist- 
ing wholly of the venison of the deer, (as they 
thought it too much trouble to dress tlie part- 
ridges,) boiling it in a kettle they had brought 
with them in the boat from Quebec, and sea- 
soning it with the salt they had with them. 
They had also bread, which was given them at 
Quebec, as well as pepper and other little no- 
tions of comfort. 

When their supper Avas over, they laid down 
to rest, and soon fell asleep, with their feet to- 
wards the fire they had cooked their supper by, 
having no fear of Indians so far down the river 
and so Air from Quebec. But in this calcula- 
tion they were sadly mistaken, as before they 
had been asleep more than an hour or two they 
were awoke by the yell of Indians, who, hav- 
ing secured their guns, stocd over their intend- 
ed victims when their appalling screams first 
nmg in their frightened ears. Here every man 
sprung to his feet, but found himself in the 
grasp of three or four Indians to a man, and of 
necessity had to submit to be bound. They 
were now led off farther into the woods, a half 
mile or so, where these Indians had their camp, 
and consisted of several lodges. These were not 
Caughnawagas, but a branch of the Tascaroras. 
In the morning, Hubbell saw that there were 
among them several squaws as well as papoos- 
es, who, it appeared, had come with their hus- 
bands on a hunting expedition. It was not long 
ere he saw come out of one of the huts a very 
beautiful squaw, attired in far different costume 
^han was worn by the other women, and was 
adorned with the signs of superiority — a star 
on her breast, and her blanket nearly covered 



60i 

with brooches, jvith fine moccasins, red leg- 
gins, &c. This squaw was leading a little boy 
of some fifteen months old, who, the moment 
she came near enough, he saw was Ustaloee, 
his precious Indian wife, the daughter of the 
Caughnawaga chief, his father- in-law. This 
taitiiful woman, from the time Hubbell was put 
in the jail of Montreal, had not tiailed to come 
very otten and inquire if he was there ; but 
was not allowed to see him, for fear of her as- 
sisting him to get away. But of all tliis Hub- 
bell knew nothing. 

Now when she was told that her white hus- 
band had got away, and had been caught again 
and was sent to Quebec, and there placed in 
prison, she, but without tlie knowledge of even 
her own Indians or the English, identified her- 
self with tlie Tuscaroras, w hose hunting grounds 
were along the region of Lower Canada, be- 
tween (he St. Lawrence and the mountains, 
bordering on the noithern parts of Maine and 
the west of New Brunswick. By this means 
she could go often to Quebec, when the other 
Indians went to that city, and thus, as she 
hoped, be the more likely to see the man of 
her heart, and the lather of her child; but had 
never been so happy as to accomplish her de- 
sire. 

Now, when Hubbell saw that it was Estaloee, 
his first impulse, notwithstandinghis being bound, 
was to spring into her arms, and to claim her as 
his wife, and protection on her account. But pru- 
dence forbade it, as he did not know what her dis- 
position might be towards him, and whether she 
had not entirely forgotten him, or perchance she 
might be married again. However, he kept his 
eye upon her, who, he saw, was coming direct- 
ly towards where the prisoners lay bound, with 
the view of looldn? at them to find out who and 
what they were. Hubbell continued to look stea- 
dily upon her face, which she soon noticed, and 
gazing intently for a moment upon the counte- 
nance of the manacled pale face, she gave one 
loud and piercing shriek, as she sprung into his 
arms, and was lifeless to all appearance; but had 
only fainted. 

This incident attracted the immediate notice of 
the Indians, when Hubbell cried out that she was 
his squaw. It was not long when Estaloee reviv- 
ed, the tears rolling down her bright olive fea- 
tures, as she retailed to the Indians the story of 
her marriage, and how long she had been looking 
for him. Their wonder was creatly excited at the 
story of the female sachem of the Caughnawagas, 
who offered to ransom the white man, to be paid 
in money on the spot. The offer was accepted, 
and consisted of ten crowns, when Hubbell was 
untied, who immediately took his wife to his 
arms, as well as the dark-eyed boy — returning to 
her bosom in full measure the love she had be- 
stowed upon hira in her long and continued faith- 
fulness. 

Hubbell now made intercession for the release 
of the other prisoners, his fellows, (but found it all 
in \'ain,) who were detained, either to be tortured 
or given up to the British for the reward. What 
became of them he never knew. But as Hubbell 
was ransomed by the powerful as well as beauti- 
ful princess of the Caughnawagas, he was allowed 
to depart with his wife whither they would — the 
Indians returning him his gun, hatchet and knife, 
with as much ammunition as his powder horn and 
bullet pouch could contain; besides a pack full of 



61 



dried meat and parched corn. Thus equipped, 
he, willi Estaloee, wlio took her boy on lier back, 
after the manner of the Indians, set olf for the 
tribe of her father, happy in having found her 
husband 

But such was not the purpose of Uubbell, who 
dare not return to the Caughnawagas, although he 
knew he shoukl be welcome, as he dreaded the 
English and feared being taken again and put in 
prison. By this time Estaloee iiad learned to 
speak the English tongue quite wet', by which 
means she could relate all that had passed since 
they were parted by the ruthless red coals, at her 
father's encampment, as well as the story of her 
sorrows from the dread of never finding her hus- 
band again, and of seeing him caress their beau- 
tiful boy. 

Hubbell now disclosed to his wife the dread 
he had of returning to her father's, and his phin 
of trying to reach some American sf^tilement — of 
his desire to go to the place called Mattias, and 
of his hopes of seeing some vessel there which 
■would carry them to Boston. 

Against this plan Estaloee could object nothing, 
and yet there was seen coming over her sweet 
features a slight shadow, as when a cloud inter- 
venes between the sun and some flowery nook of 
the wilderness, for the thought of going among 
strangers who were of another race and people, 
troubled her. 

Against such forebodings, Hubbell could oppose 
no greater argument than the ardor of his feelings 
for his fair and most precious Estaloee, and their 
boy, with promises of eternal constancy and faith. 
To such arguments she yielded, as what else could 
she do, and her lofty spirit was calmed with hope 
and fond assurance. 

They now made all possible haste to reach the 
place above named, as the weather was getting 
cold and the nights tempestuous, for it was No- 
vember, the time when winter was almost setting 
in so far north. They camped out but one night 
ere they reached Mattias, which was just as the 
sun was going down on the second day. In a mo- 
ment, to the very great joy of Hubbell, what 
should he discover, on casting his eye over the 
broad waters of the St. Lawrence, but the flag of 
an American privateer waving over the deck of a 
heavy mettled ship, riding at anchor, ready to sail 
for Boston. 

Hubbell greatly desired to be put on board that 
very night, as he had much rather go to rest in 
the hammock of an American ship, than to sleep 
in the best inn the town of Mattias could alford. 
Just at the moment, as he stood looking at the no- 
ble craft, he saw a canoe in the act of putting off, 
laden with potatoes and other vegetables for the 
use of the crew on board, when he hailed the man 
who had possession of the canoe, and told his de- 
sires. 

The man consented, and takingHubbell, with 
Estaloee and the child, into his totlish craft, seat- 
ed them in such a manner as best to preserve the 
trim of the canoe, for their mutual safety, and was 
in the act of pushing otf ; but just at this moment 
there came running very swiftly a man, who beg- 
ged to be taken on board, as he said he was a de- 
serter from the English, slating that he had pass- 
ed through incredible hardships and dangers, in 
etl'ecting his • escape, and did not wish to fail now 
that he was so near the end of his fears. Hub- 
bell and the canoe man" consented to his wish, al- 
though it was far from prudent to do so, as the 
waters w«re rough, and a canoe was then, as now, 
but a fickle kind of vessel, at the best. 

They now left the shore, paddling away for the 



62^ 

ship, and had come within a hundred yards or so of 
the place wheie she was riding, when the stranger 
happened lo make an unlucky step, in order to 
preserve his balance, as the motion of the canoe 
had staggered him a little, wlien over went the ' 
craft, and was soon floating bottom side up. 

Of necessity, all were in the deep, each strug- 
gling for the precious life. HubbcJl saw no more ' 
of his much loved Indian bride and ibrest boy 
for it was dark or in the gloom of twilight, and it 
snowed at the time, so that when he rose to the 
surface, he saw nothing but the canoe, all else had 
disappeared. He now clung to the deceitful apo- 
logy tor a boat, and by adroit management con- 
trived lo get astride of her bottom, clinging his 
legs in under the edges of the canoe, thus holding 
himself on as well as he could. At this time the 
tide was running out rapidly, and soonswept'him 
so far toward the ocean, as that his voice, when ' 
he hallooed with all his might, was lost on the ' 
roar of the winds. 

That night was a night of dreadful suffering to 
Hubbell, for the reason that it was cold, and snowed ' 
furiously, being obliged to sit in the most uneasv 
position, with his legs deep in the weltering 
waves, which tossed him hither and thither at 
their will, putting him in imminent danger of be- ' 
ing shaken from his hold of the canoe ; which ' 
most certainly would have been the case, had he 
not taken the hatchet from his belt and struck it 
deep into her bottom, thus holding on to the han- 
dle. That night was a night of suffering, not on- 
ly from the above causes, but from other fearful 
circumstances; such as the danger of being destroy- 
ed by sharks, or other monsters of the dcep,of bein" 
run over by any passing vessel, floating timbers'', 
or ice drifting from the north, besides the horrors 
of the darkness, and howling of the winds and the 
sea. 

It was a night of suffering to Hubbell not only 
from the above causes, but more especially and 
more dreadfully from the loss of his heroic wife 
and beautiful child. All night his sighs and wail- 
ings, as well as tears, were mingling with the 
tempest; for he knew that Estaloee and her child 
were then being dashed one way and another by 
the relentless waves; whose souls were "one to 
the world of spirits, and that he should see them 
no more, even should lie escape a watery grave ; 
which was every where gaping around him^. 

In this condition, astride of a capsized canoe, 
he remained till the ne.xtday, when, about ten o'- 
clock in the morning, the ship bavin? got under 
way, happened lo espy him^ and immediately was 
brought too, a boat sent cut, and the sufferer res- 
cued. He was found to be perfectly helpless, and 
retaining, after he was taken from the canoe' the 
shape for some time that he was in while on the 
boat. They now, after hoistinc him on board, 
took him to the cabin, stripped off his clothes, and 
bathed him with rum, rubbing him with their hands 
and woollen cloths, giving him. at the same time 
some to drink. In this way, after an hour's inces- 
sant application, he was in a good measure restor- 
ed to comparative activity again. He now made 
every enquiry respecting the fate of the haplcs.s 
crew, and found that the deserter had swam to 
the ship and was saved, while the canoe man had 
not been heard of, nor the Indian woman and her 
child. 

Thus terminated the life of one who, though but 
a maid of the forest, had loved the pale face with 
all the intensity the passion can inspire ; endin.-? 
only with her life, when crushed beneath the wel- 
tering horrors of the sea. 

Before we close the adventurous historv it were 



63 

as well, perhaps, to inforia lh« reader, thai the 
privateer above alluded to was watching the rQ» 
turn of a vessel from Novascotia, there in the St. 
Lawrence. The captain's name was jlyres, v/hose 
own brother was also the captain of the expected 
vessel, which was laden with grindstones. It was 
the intention of Captain Ayres to cruise about the 
gulf till the said vessel should heave in sight, and 
then if he could to capture her. Accordingly the 
privateer continued to cruise about the mouth of 
the St. Lawrence a few days after Hubbell had 
been taken on board of her, when the merchant- 
man was seen heaving up on the wind, toward 
her destination, which was the city of Quebec. 
The two vessels ran pretty near each other, when 
according to custom the flags of the respective 
■ships went up to their mast heads, one being the 
American Eagle, stripes and stars, while the oth- 
«r was the Lion of England. On making this dis- 
covery, in a moment the privateer sent a heavy 
shot ahead of the merchantman as a summons to 
surrender. The vessel immediately lowered her 
flag, when Ayres took possession of the prize and 
run her into Mattias, where she was sold with all 
the ship contained for some thousands of dollars, 
the two brothers sharing alike in the adventure, 
and was no doubt a concerted plan, a kind of 
game often played by both parties in that war. 

On board the vessel Hubbell was not required 
to do any work ; his sufferings had been so much 
and so long, that the captain told him he should 
be paid the same as the other hands, till they 
should reach Boston, and from the time he was 
hauled on board from his drifting canoe. The 
voyage was of but short duration, when they an- 
chored in the bay of Boston, where the captain 
not only paid him his wages but presented 
him with thirty dollars, amounting in all to a suf- 
ficient sum not only to carry him across the coun- 
try to the North river, which he performed on 
foot, but also to get him a suit of new clothes. 
This was a journey of some two hundred miles, 
coming out at Newburgh, at a place to this day 
called S/iafec Hill, a place a mile or two back of 
the above named town, where he joined his regi- 



64 

ment, th«o commanded by Gansevoort Van 
ISchaick. Here the hero of these pages was re- 
ceived by his fellows, and greeted with shouts of 
the soldiery. Washington was there at the time, 
and bestowed upon Hubbell marked and particu- 
lar attentions, giving orders that the brave soldier 
should do no duty, but remain at his leisure, till 
the army should be disbanded, receiving his ra- 
tions as the rest received theirs in his regiment. 
From the time of his arrival at Snake Hill, it was 
but about three weeks when, from the hand of 
Washington himself, as well as all the rest, he 
received an honorable discharge from the glorious 
war of the Revolution. 

Hubbell now returned to old Fairfield, Con., 
where he was married and remained till the com- 
mencement of the last war, 1812, when he again 
enlisted, being full of the old fire of the war of 
Independence, although then nearly sixty years 
old. His first move was to march to Hartford, 
Con., going over the very ground in his old age 
that lie had gone over once in his youth, and for 
the very same purpose, namely, to resist the com- 
mon oppressor and hater of America, the British 

From Hartford he was sent to the barracks at 
Greenbush, opposite the city of Albany, where 
having met with a blow on his head from an over- 
bearing upstart of an officer, who took ofl'ence at 
the old man's stories about his deeds in the Revo- 
lution, and nearly killed him, as the blow was made 
with a heavy hard wood cane. In consequence 
of this blow, Hubbell was honorably discharged, 
after having received the humble acknowledg- 
ments of the ruthless envious fool, who was com- 
pelled by his commander to ask the old man's par- 
don before all the troops stationed at the banacks 
at the time, which Hubbell granted, and then re- 
tired forever from the field of strife, who is yet 
living in Weston, Con., a monument of heroism 
and courage, such as wrenched the prey from the 
rending paw and teeth of the hungry lion of Eng- 
land, at a time when America was weak and but 
few in number — for it was the battle of God 
against the oppressor. 



l-z^^ w « 



Who does not love to hear the hunter tell 
His wond'rous fetes o'er mountain range and dell, 
The fights he had with panther, wolf or bear, 
Or of his shots at elk, the moose, or deer? 

And who the sailor, in the deep hour of grief, 

Driven headlong by a storm on craggy reef; 

Does not love to hear the story of the sea, 

The sounding of the waves, where welt'ring horrors bel 



The /earless soldier, too, who in the furious fray 
Hew'd for himself and all his own victorious way, 
And amid the white man's fight, all hack'd and gory, 
Or with the Indians, who will not hear the story? 

FINIS. ' 



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